Scott Stringer bashes Andrew Cuomo for creating group to fight antisemitism that has been mostly MIA: ‘Never lifted a finger’

A Jewish rival of mayoral frontrunner Andrew Cuomo ripped the ex-governor Sunday, saying he “lied” about a group he built to fight antisemitism that has been largely missing in action.

Candidate Scott Stringer said during a speech at the West Side Institutional Synagogue that the advocacy group “Never Again, NOW!” was supposed to fight Jew hatred but instead became a vehicle to prop up Cuomo’s comeback campaign.

“He actually showed up in people’s living rooms and promised to set up an organization that would run commercials, host symposiums and – with money raised from the Jewish donor community – join the fight against rising antisemitism,” the former city comptroller and Manhattan borough president said.

“But he never lifted a finger. There were no commercials. Nothing,” Stringer added. “This organization was a vehicle for his mayor’s race – and everybody knows it.”

Cuomo had previously spoken at the same synagogue, accusing other candidates in a crowded Democratic Party primary of condoning Jew hatred or being antisemitic.

“He knew not to call me out. That would have been a mistake,” Stringer told congregants earlier in his speech. “But still, I was appalled by his cynical – and frankly pitiful – attempts to divide the city and this community.

Stringer said what was worse was what Cuomo did not say in the wake of Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 terror attacks in Israel.

“He didn’t tell you that he came to this community in our darkest moment, during our hour of need – after more than 1,200 people were murdered by the terrorist organization Hamas, with hundreds of hostages held in Gaza – and he lied to us,” Stringer said.

“This was the worst attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust. Our hearts were broken,” he said. “And he sold us all a bill of goods in our darkest moment, during our hour of need … he thinks he’s getting one over on us. But we know better.”

Stringer then quoted from a passage in the Talmud to caution congregants about Cuomo.

“‘Be careful about the government, as they approach a man only when they need him. They seem like good friends in good times, but they don’t stay for him in time of his trouble,’” he said.

Cuomo’s “Never Again, NOW” did prepare a video ad attacking Hamas in July 2024, as reported in The Post.

But the ad got little airtime, the New York Times later reported.

Cuomo has had a massive lead in the polls as the June 24 Democratic primary for mayor nears, which has contributed to him being a favorite target of other candidates. Stringer has been polling in the single digits.

Cuomo has faced attacks in his mayoral run after he resigned as governor under the threat of impeachment in 2021 amid a series of sexual misconduct accusations that he denies.

He’s also been fiercely criticized for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly a controversial March 2020 administration directive that ordered nursing homes to accept recovering coronavirus patients discharged from hospitals.

Responding to Stringer, the Cuomo campaign provided a statement from state Assemblyman Sam Berger, a Cuomo backer in the Jewish community.

“Governor Cuomo has shown his support for the Jewish community with action, not just words. Scott Stringer played footsie with the anti-Israel, anti-democratic DSA [Democratic Socialists of America] and their allies who won’t condemn hate,” Berger said.

“When Queens faced a choice for DA between a Jewish pro-Israel candidate [Melinda Katz] and a card-carrying DSA member [Tiffany Caban], Stringer chose DSA. We need a mayor who’ll fight for us — not one who just panders when convenient.”

The Cuomo camp also noted that as governor he signed the first in the nation executive order barring state agencies from doing business with firms engaged in the boycott, divestment and sanctions actions against Israel;  increased penalties against hate crimes; secured millions on security upgrades for yeshivas and synagogues, and organized a solidarity trip to Israel in 2014 when Hamas was in the midst of a bombing campaign against the Jewish State.

Cuomo, meanwhile, defended his decisions during the pandemic while speaking at Salem Missionary Baptist Church in Brooklyn Sunday morning.

“We beat COVID and saved lives,” he told church congregants.