NY-10 debate: Goldman, Lander trade attacks on Israel, ICE and Mamdani

The PIX11 debate came with early voting underway in the Democratic primary for New York’s 10th Congressional District, where Goldman is seeking reelection against Lander in a district that includes Lower Manhattan and parts of northern Brooklyn.

Goldman repeatedly argued that the district needs an experienced member of Congress who knows how to use legislation, oversight, and federal power against Trump. Lander said the moment demands a more confrontational Democrat willing to reject corporate money, oppose additional military aid to Israel, and organize directly against ICE.

“We cannot afford at this critical moment to put a rookie in the game who needs on-the-job training,” Goldman said in his opening statement, invoking the Knicks’ championship win. “We need to put our best players on the court.”

Lander, who has been endorsed by Mamdani, opened by pointing to a rally he held with the mayor where Jewish and Muslim New Yorkers came together, saying that was the kind of energy needed to fight Trump, abolish ICE, stand up to billionaires, and build a city everyone can afford.

Goldman and Lander spar over Middle East

The debate opened with Israel and Gaza. Lander said Israel’s destruction of Gaza is genocide and criticized Goldman for supporting military aid packages to Israel. He said he would support the Block the Bombs Act and the Ceasefire Compliance Act and would not vote for additional U.S. military aid to Israel while it violates international law and Palestinian human rights.

“We can’t continue to be complicit in genocide,” Lander said.

Goldman declined to call Israel’s actions genocide, saying the legal terminology is complicated and that the focus should be on securing a ceasefire, humanitarian aid, and a path toward Palestinian statehood.

“What happened in Gaza was horrific, absolutely horrific,” Goldman said.

When pressed by moderator Dan Mannarino on whether Israel’s actions should be considered genocide, Goldman said the term requires evidence and is “somewhat beside the point.” Lander, by contrast, cited genocide scholars and said “never again” must mean “never again to anyone.”

The candidates also split over AIPAC, the powerful pro-Israel political group. Lander said AIPAC is hurting the Democratic Party through super PAC spending and by demanding unconditional support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s wars. He said he has never taken AIPAC money, and never would.

Goldman said he believes AIPAC has “real problems” and should not unconditionally support the Israeli government, but defended his engagement with the group. He said he has been endorsed by both AIPAC and J Street and argued that support from both groups shows independence.

J Street, the pro-Israel advocacy group, has “approved” Lander as a candidate. 

Responding to immigration enforcement

The debate then turned to immigration enforcement, where the candidates argued over whether the best response to Trump’s deportation agenda is inside Congress, in the streets or both.

Asked how he would stop expanded ICE operations in New York City, Lander emphasized court-watching, neighborhood ICE watch efforts, mutual aid, and public protest. He said oversight hearings in the next Congress should examine the conduct of federal agents.

Goldman used the answer to argue that Lander was failing to lay out a congressional plan.

“What I have done from day one when I confronted ICE officers who were wearing masks is I introduced immediately the first legislation to ban masks,” Goldman said. He also cited a bill to prohibit arrests at immigration courts, a lawsuit against Trump over congressional oversight access, and a district office triage center that he said has helped free 44 people.

Lander praised Goldman’s triage center and said he would keep it if elected. But he rejected Goldman’s suggestion that organizing and protest are not part of the work.

“The idea that it’s not doing the work to organize people to show up and protect their neighbors just makes no sense to me,” Lander said.

The exchange became more personal when Goldman criticized Lander’s recent federal trial over his arrest during a protest at 26 Federal Plaza. Lander was acquitted last week of a federal violation tied to accusations that he blocked elevators while demanding access to inspect immigrant detention conditions. 

During the debate, Goldman suggested Lander had gone to trial for publicity. As previously reported by amNewYork, Goldman had called the trial a campaign ploy. Lander said prosecutors could have dropped the case and that he was unwilling to accept a deal that he said would have prevented him from protesting at 26 Federal Plaza for six months.

“Win or lose this election, I will be back at 26 Federal Plaza,” Lander said. “I probably will get arrested there again, because these are times for fighting harder.”

The candidates also traded attacks over Palantir, the data company whose technology has been used in immigration enforcement. Goldman accused Lander of increasing city pension investments in Palantir while comptroller. Lander responded that the comptroller does not pick individual stocks and accused Goldman of personally benefiting from index funds that also included Palantir.

Goldman said he sold his stock after entering Congress and placed his money in a blind trust. Goldman also contrasted Lander’s record with that of current Comptroller Mark Levine, noting Levine called for an investigation into Palantir after one month in office — something Goldman argued Lander could have done when he held the job.

Team player? 

Mayor Mamdani also surfaced repeatedly.

Lander said he was proud to have Mamdani’s support and also criticized Goldman for not endorsing Mamdani in the general election after he became the Democratic nominee.

Goldman rejected the idea that the race is a proxy fight between Mamdani and Gov. Kathy Hochul, who has endorsed him. But he repeated a line of attack he has used before: that Lander wanted a job in Mamdani’s administration and did not get one.

“Congress is a totally different animal,” Goldman said. “It does not operate like a city or state government.”

“I’m nobody’s rookie,” Lander responded, citing legislation he passed in the City Council on fast food worker scheduling, delivery worker pay, school desegregation and affordable housing around the Gowanus Canal.

Goldman also pressed Lander on another Mamdani-related issue: a Knicks-themed ad that featured Mamdani alongside Lander and two other progressive congressional candidates backed by the mayor, Darializa Avila Chevalier and Claire Valdez. Lander said during the debate that he had not endorsed any other congressional candidates in New York City.

The issue continued after the debate ended, during PIX11 Plus’ post-show, where the candidates appeared separately.

In his post-show interview, Lander said he was proud to have Mamdani’s support and grateful to be part of the team the mayor is putting together, but said he was focused on his own race.

“I have not cross-endorsed in any of the other congressional elections in New York City at this time,” Lander said.

Goldman, appearing later on the same post-show, sharpened the attack. He said Lander, appearing in the ad while declining to support the other candidates, showed he was trying to have it both ways.

“You’re on a team, but you’re not supporting them,” Goldman said. “I think this is the problem, is he just can’t trust Mr. Lander.”

The exchange came as Mamdani has stood by Avila Chevalier, who is challenging Rep. Adriano Espaillat in New York’s 13th Congressional District, after scrutiny over resurfaced social media posts. Lander has kept his distance from that race, with his campaign saying he is focused on his own primary. Lander is expected to appear at a Thursday rally with Mamdani, Avila Chevalier, and Valdez.

Housing and development also divided the candidates. Goldman pointed to the Brooklyn Marine Terminal redevelopment plan, which he said would create 6,000 homes, 40% of which would be affordable, and accused Lander of shifting his position after entering the congressional race. Lander has said he supports redeveloping the site but wants more time to address transportation, port operations and community concerns.

On taxes, both candidates said capital gains should be taxed at the same rate as wages. Goldman promoted his “Robin Hood Act,” which he said would tax loans billionaires take against their assets and raise nearly $30 billion a year. Lander backed Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s wealth tax, saying it would raise far more money for Medicare for All, universal child care and affordable housing.

On artificial intelligence, Goldman called for watermarking AI-generated content, rules around data centers and workforce retraining paid for by AI companies. Lander called for stronger federal regulation, public-sector AI capacity and protections against data centers that strain the power grid or harm communities.

The debate ended with each candidate returning to the same contrast they had drawn throughout the hour.

Goldman said Lander is a “career politician” who “will say and do anything in order to get elected,” while presenting himself as someone who may not agree with voters on everything but will be straight with them.

Lander called the moment a “five-alarm fire” and said Democrats must elect leaders who do not take corporate PAC money and are willing to confront billionaires, ICE and Trump directly.

The Democratic primary is June 23.