{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://biggs.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-biggs-dhs-must-deny-zohran-mamdani-security-clearance", "Congressman Biggs: DHS Must Deny Zohran Mamdani a Security Clearance", "2025-11-21", "2025", "2025-11", "Republican", "House", "AZ", "Andy Biggs", "B001302", "biggs.house.gov", "biggs", "https://biggs.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Today, Congressman Andy Biggs (R-AZ) led a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem urging her department to deny New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani a federal security clearance.\n\nCongressman Biggs\u2019s letter makes clear that Mamdani\u2019s conduct is a consistent, years-long pattern that should disqualify him from ever accessing classified information. There is a well-documented record of conduct that raises serious national security concerns, including:\n\nCo-founding Students for Justice in Palestine, the group that hailed the October 7 Hamas massacre as an \u201chistoric win\u201d and openly called for \u201carmed confrontation;\u201d\n\nCheering violent uprisings, appearing at rallies that celebrate \u201cresistance by any means necessary,\u201d and defending \u201cGlobalize the Intifada,\u201d a slogan calling for violent unrest across the world;\n\nUndermining counterterrorism, including blaming the FBI for the radicalization of al Qaeda terrorist Anwar al-Awlaki \u2014 a talking point favored by anti-American propagandists;\n\nStanding alongside clerics who prayed for the destruction of Israel\u2019s supporters and praised Hamas fighters;\n\nSmearing the NYPD, repeatedly calling officers \u201cracist, anti-queer, and a major threat to public safety,\u201d and being arrested for disorderly conduct during a protest; and\n\nDemanding that the NYPD be defunded, even as he seeks a position that requires working directly with the department and federal partners.\n\n\u201cMamdani has a well-established pattern of siding with extremists, undermining U.S. counterterrorism efforts, demonizing law enforcement, and legitimizing violent movements,\u201d said Congressman Biggs.\n\n\u201cHe has spent years defending extremists, attacking American law enforcement, and aligning himself with individuals who praise terrorists. Putting classified material in his hands would be a direct threat to NYPD officers, federal agents, and the security of this country.\n\n\u201cSecurity clearances are reserved for individuals who can be trusted with the nation\u2019s most sensitive materials\u2014a standard Mamdani doesn\u2019t come close to meeting. His record is a bold red warning flag. DHS must reject his request without hesitation.\u201d\n\nCosigners of the letter include: Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-OK), Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN), Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ), Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC), Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL), Rep. Keith Self (R-TX), and Rep. Marlin Stutzman (R-IN).\n\nThe full letter may be read here.", 1, "2026-04-04T05:28:40Z", "2026-04-04T05:30:10Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://biggs.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-biggs-dhs-must-deny-zohran-mamdani-security-clearance"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.96027010679245, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}