The New York Times' decision last week to publish leaked details of New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani's 2009 Columbia University application has thrust the storied paper into a blossoming scandal. Now, Mamdani's (ultimately unsuccessful) Columbia application has taken the backseat to a broader furor over the Times' motivation and sourcing. The Times' report was also pushed out "quickly" for fear of being scooped by far-right activist Christopher Rufo, "best known for his crusade against critical race theory," Semafor said. Political lessonsRegardless of the Times' motivation, there is "nonetheless value to the story of Mamdani's Columbia application," said Philip Bump at The Washington Post. Within the political arena, however, the Times' report has already been weaponized by some of Mamdani's electoral adversaries.
