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The Aron carrying HaRav Sholom Lipskar ZT”L is on its way to 770 Eastern Parkway for the Levaya after landing at JFK Airport on a Hatzalah Airplane from Miami.

United Airlines announced on Friday that it will be scaling back its operations at Newark Liberty International Airport, eliminating 35 daily round-trip flights from its schedule. The airline cited continued disruptions caused by airport construction, a lack of FAA personnel, and technical failures as the main factors behind the decision, which has already impacted thousands of passengers with extensive delays.

This latest adjustment will reduce United’s daily flights at Newark by 10%, a significant cut to the airline’s overall operations at the busy New Jersey hub.

“It’s disappointing to make further cuts to an already reduced schedule at Newark, but since there is no way to resolve the near-term structural FAA staffing issues, we feel like there is no other choice in order to protect our customers,” Kirby wrote in a statement to passengers.

By late Friday afternoon, Newark had logged 330 flight delays and 20 cancellations, according to data from FlightAware. Passengers arriving at the airport faced delays reaching up to two hours, while departing flights were held back by approximately an hour.

On Friday, the Federal Aviation Administration pointed to a combination of factors causing the backup, including a continuing shortage of air traffic controllers and resurfacing work underway on one of Newark’s runways.

“The FAA is slowing arrivals and departures at Newark Liberty International Airport due to runway construction at Newark and staffing issues at Philadelphia TRACON, which guides aircraft in and out of the airport,” a FAA spokesperson said.

This turbulent week at Newark Airport has already included a temporary halt to all departures on Monday afternoon, which was caused by a technical malfunction that disrupted airport equipment.

{Matzav.com}

After years of defending Sen. John Fetterman through health scares, debate debacles, and questions about his fitness for office, the same media that once shielded him is now turning on him — and the timing is no mystery. In a bombshell New York Magazine exposé, current and former staffers paint a picture of a “bizarre” and “erratic” senator battling serious mental health challenges, facing tensions at home, and alienating his staff. But the real shock? Much of the criticism began only after Fetterman broke ranks with the progressive wing of his party and became an unapologetic defender of Israel. The hit piece, titled “All By Himself: John Fetterman insists he is in good health, but staffers past and present say they no longer recognize the man they once knew”, catalogs a series of incidents, including reports of Fetterman wandering the Capitol, nearly being struck by a car, and being “catatonic” during a conversation with then-Sen. Sherrod Brown. The account raises alarms about his mental state — even claiming he hasn’t had bloodwork in months and has physically stumbled into people in the Capitol complex. But these same outlets had no interest in raising the alarm during the campaign, when Fetterman — fresh off a debilitating stroke — could barely get through a debate against Dr. Mehmet Oz without visibly struggling to form sentences. At the time, the media rushed to assure Americans he was sharp, lucid, and perfectly capable of serving in the U.S. Senate. Now, after Fetterman emerged from his hospitalization and began pushing back against the far-left flank of his party — including vocally supporting Israel’s right to defend itself against Hamas — the knives have come out. According to the piece, internal staffers lashed out at Fetterman over his support for the Jewish state, calling it a “gutting betrayal,” while his wife Gisele reportedly confronted him personally, questioning: “Jerusalem [is] bombing refugee camps — how can you support this?” Gisele also reportedly raised complaints directly with his Senate staffers. The coordinated media pivot was not lost on political observers. The backlash isn’t just about health. It’s about ideological betrayal — or at least, that’s how the progressive left sees it. Fetterman, once a darling of the populist wing, has taken an increasingly independent stance, calling for Sen. Bob Menendez’s resignation, backing Israel, and refusing to parrot extremist narratives. Some now speculate this public takedown is a preemptive political hit ahead of a possible 2028 primary clash between Fetterman and fellow Pennsylvanian Gov. Josh Shapiro. “Funny how they didn’t run these hit pieces or question Fetterman’s mental health during the campaign,” one observer noted. “But now that he’s not a deranged Trump hater, a psychotic terrorist lover, or an obedient progressive, suddenly they’re starting to question his mental acuity.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

[COMMUNICATED]

We know of times in galus that Klal Yisroel was forced to take a stand and fight for our Torah true Yiddishkeit to survive.

Today, there is a real fight for the survival of our Torah values happening right now!

The woke left, Conservative and Reform movements are doing everything they can to ensure that Kedushas Eretz Yisroel does not remain intact.

They have harnessed the power inherent in the WZO, an entity that controls billions of dollars of funds in Eretz Yisroel, to meet their agenda.

Changing what geirus looks like, kashrus standards, kosher marriages, the integrity and kedusha of mekomos hakedoshim like the Kosel, suing the Torah world in Israel Supreme Court, challenging traditional family values.

While our community has stepped up and voted in the current WZO elections, these other parties have come out very strong!

We are seeing an unprecedented turnout from them- and we need our community to come out even stronger!

The election ends in just a few hours!

Sunday night, 11:59 PM PST.

We need you to join as a klal and vote.

You, your family, your friends.

We can do this- we know we have the numbers- we need each person to view this as his achrayus!

Don’t stand down.

Stand up.

Vote.

It will take 2 minutes of your time and $5.

EretzHakodesh.org

Houthi Media is reporting that the Houthis have evacuated staff from Sana’a Airport, anticipating air strikes from Israel following the missile attack near Ben Gurion.

An air traffic controller has issued a stark warning about Newark Liberty International Airport, calling it unsafe for travelers, according to a new report.

“It is not safe. It is not a safe situation right now for the flying public,” the controller allegedly told NBC News correspondent Tom Costello.

Costello, recounting the interaction on MSNBC, said, “Really an incredible statement, unsolicited. He just said that to me, and separately, ‘Don’t fly into Newark. Avoid Newark at all costs.’”

Newark Liberty, which handled 24.3 million passengers last year and ranks as the second busiest airport in the New York metropolitan area, has been mired in extensive delays and cancellations over the past several days.

The Federal Aviation Administration attributes the disruptions to an ongoing shortage of air traffic controllers at Newark, compounded by runway construction projects.

According to MSNBC, the airport’s workforce has shrunk by 20% in recent weeks, making it even more difficult to manage the heavy traffic.

The crisis prompted United Airlines—Newark’s primary East Coast hub carrier—to cancel 35 roundtrip flights per day. The airline said the move was essential “in order to protect our customers.”

On Sunday, the delays persisted, with some arriving flights held on the ground for over two hours before receiving clearance to land, according to data from Flight Aware’s Misery Map.

{Matzav.com}

When Warren Buffett announced at his annual shareholder meeting Saturday that he is stepping down as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway at the end of the year, he elevated a low-key 62-year-old Canadian executive named Greg Abel who has long been one of his top lieutenants. For the past seven years, Abel has been overseeing Berkshire’s BNSF railroad and its treat makers See’s Candies and Dairy Queen along with dozens of other manufacturing and retail businesses that Buffett acquired over the years. He grew up in Canada as a hockey player and learned the value of hard work as he redeemed discarded bottles and worked for a small company filling fire extinguishers. Now he finds himself at the top of the food chain in the investment world. Berkshire confirmed Abel as Buffett’s successor in 2021 after former Vice Chairman Charlie Munger let it slip at the annual meeting. Since then, Abel has largely remained in Buffett’s shadow although shareholders have had a chance to get to know him a bit when he appeared alongside Buffett at the annual meetings and in interviews. Berkshire’s board will now vote on whether to formally approve Abel as the new CEO to take over at the end of 2025. At the annual meeting in Omaha, Buffett said he expects that to occur by a unanimous vote. Abel will step forward to take responsibility for all of Berkshire’s eclectic assortment of businesses with their nearly 400,000 employees and the conglomerate’s massive stock portfolio. Buffett and members of Berkshire’s board who for years have devoted much of their time to finding Buffett’s successor have praised Abel’s brilliance and knack for understanding all kinds of businesses. Buffett once said Berkshire is “so damn lucky” to have Abel ready to take over, but he will have trouble coming close to Buffett’s remarkable track record of outpacing the market. Whereas Buffett grew Berkshire over the decades by making well-timed deals and stock investments at attractive prices, Berkshire’s massive size has made it that much harder lately to find anything big enough to change the conglomerate’s bottom line. Abel has big shoes to fill, but no one expects him to match the accomplishments of Buffett that made him a billionaire many times over and one of the wealthiest investors of the past century. Longtime Berkshire board member Ron Olson said two days before the announcement that he believed Abel was ready to take over. “Is he another Warren Buffett? No, there is no other Warren Buffett that I know. But he has so many of the fundamentals of Warren,” Olson said. “He is for sure high integrity. He is a hard worker. He is a strategic thinker.” Buffett has said for years that Abel’s main job when he becomes CEO will be to preserve Berkshire’s unique decentralized culture built on independence, integrity and trust. In fact, Munger’s comment that gave away Abel’s future role was that “Greg will keep the culture.” Executives at a diverse mix of Berkshire subsidiaries, including sneaker maker Brooks Running, flooring giant Shaw and Borsheims jewelry have said they all turn to Abel whenever they face tough questions in their businesses related to strategy or operating details, and he’s always available when they need him though he will challenge them. “When I think about Greg, he not […]

A lawsuit filed in Manhattan Supreme Court alleges that United Airlines diverted a transatlantic flight mid-air not because of a safety issue — but because the plane was filled with visibly Jewish passengers. The April 22, 2023, flight from Newark to Tel Aviv was abruptly turned back to New Jersey “after hours of flight for no valid reason,” according to the suit, which names nearly 60 Jewish passengers as plaintiffs. The passengers, many of whom were traveling to Israel for Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha’atzmaut, claim that anti-Jewish bias played a key role in the crew’s decision. According to the complaint, the incident began when one Jewish passenger briefly sat in a flight attendant’s jump seat while waiting to use the restroom. Instead of resolving the matter calmly, the “ill-trained and/or unvetted” United crew reportedly escalated the situation, choosing to turn the plane around and blaming the broader group of Jewish passengers for the disruption. “If one person is acting bad, it doesn’t mean everyone around them is responsible,” said attorney Yoram Nachimovsky, who is representing the plaintiffs. “This wasn’t about safety. This was about prejudice.” The suit claims that United staff made openly discriminatory remarks, including one instance where a passenger seeking assistance was allegedly told by a flight attendant to “go ask your own kind.” Upon returning to Newark, the Jewish passengers say they were offered no help or rebooking assistance, leaving many stranded and unable to make it to Israel for the national commemorations. “These skies were anything but friendly toward Jews,” the suit asserts. United Airlines has denied the allegations, calling the claims “meritless” in a statement. “One passenger who was a safety and security risk caused the flight to return to Newark,” United said. “Our crew put safety first and exhibited professionalism in managing this matter, and we will vigorously defend against these false allegations.” But the plaintiffs say the airline’s response only underscores the need for sensitivity training and accountability, not just damage control. “This wasn’t an isolated mistake,” Nachimovsky added. “It was a chilling example of collective punishment based on religion and appearance — and it can’t be allowed to stand.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

President Donald Trump announced he would push back the June 19 deadline for ByteDance, the Chinese company behind TikTok, to sell off its U.S. operations, if an agreement isn’t finalized in time.

“I would … I’d like to see it done,” Trump said during an interview for NBC’s “Meet the Press with Kristen Welker,” which was recorded Friday at Mar-a-Lago and aired nationally on Sunday. He noted his fondness for the platform, crediting it with helping him connect to younger voters during the 2024 campaign. “TikTok is – it’s very interesting, but it will be protected,” he said.

Trump has already postponed enforcement of a congressional mandate banning TikTok in the U.S. on two separate occasions. The original enforcement date was set for January.

Plans had been moving forward to create a separate U.S.-based company for TikTok, with American investors holding a controlling stake. However, the process came to a halt after Beijing signaled its disapproval, which followed Trump’s announcement of sharp tariff increases on Chinese imports.

Democratic senators have questioned Trump’s authority to keep delaying the ban, arguing that any deal currently being negotiated would still fail to meet legal standards.

A person familiar with ByteDance’s American stakeholders said last month that talks around a potential agreement are still underway. However, progress depends on the resolution of tensions between Washington and Beijing over tariffs.

In the NBC interview, Trump said China is eager to come to terms, citing how the steep 145% tariffs he placed on Chinese goods are damaging their economy.

He clarified that while he wouldn’t lift those tariffs just to entice China into a deal, they could be scaled back later as part of a broader trade agreement. “At some point, I’m going to lower them because otherwise, you could never do business with them. And they want to do business very much,” he stated.

The legislation in question required TikTok to cease operating in the U.S. by January 19 unless ByteDance had completed the divestiture. Trump, who began his second presidential term on January 20, opted not to implement the ban. Instead, he delayed the deadline first to early April, and again more recently, to June 19.

{Matzav.com}

In recent weeks, including Sunday morning’s attack on Ben-Gurion, the Houthis from Yemen have increased their launch of ballistic missiles toward Israel at the same time as the US has been carrying out waves of airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen. Ynet quoted Israeli officials as saying: “The Americans are the ones who are acting. The fact that the Houthis are still launching missiles doesn’t mean much— the American operation is very effective.” Ynet military commentator Ron Ben Yishai noted that Israeli security officials estimate that the recent increase in the number of Houthi launches stems from the fact that the US has improved the quality of its intelligence in Yemen and the accuracy and efficiency of its attacks, targeting Houthi launch sites and missile and UAV depots. In addition, the US has succeeded in thwarting the smuggling of UAVs from Iran to Yemen, which has led to a severe depletion of the Houthis’  inventory. As a result, the Houthis are rushing to use their remaining inventory before the US attacks additional launch sites and UAV and missile depots. “The Houthis launch the missiles and UAVs when the sun is rising, because at night it is easier for the US to identify the launch flash and strike it with high accuracy,” Ben-Yishai wrote. “The Houthis are quick to launch before the system is destroyed.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

Dear Friends and Supporters,

In recent days, many people have reached out to us asking whether there is real data proving a dramatic rise in voting numbers, or if this is just typical campaign rhetoric. We would like to present you with the actual numbers so you can understand the alarming increase, which may even result in a doubling of the number of votes required to maintain Eretz HaKodesh’s power in the Zionist Congress.

This past Friday, the voting data from the previous week was published, revealing a sharp spike of tens of thousands of votes cast during the week.
This morning, updated data showed that since Friday, the number of voters has risen dramatically, with an additional 15,000 votes added on Friday and Shabbos alone. It is clear that the vast majority of these votes came from the left-wing bloc and liberal parties that actively campaign and recruit voters on Shabbos — in contrast to the right-wing bloc and religious parties, whose campaigns are inactive on these days.

In light of this increase, projections now estimate that the election will end with over 240,000 total votes — essentially doubling the overall vote count. As a result, each party will need to secure twice as many votes as they did in 2020 just to maintain their current representation in the Congress.

This sharp rise is largely due to a massive online campaign spearheaded by the left-wing parties, particularly the AID Coalition, which targeted secular Israelis living abroad, urging them to vote and recruit others in order to “preserve left-wing values in Israel.”

This surge presents a clear challenge for supporters of Eretz HaKodesh: to use the final remaining hours before voting ends on Sunday at midnight to bring in additional votes, close the gap that has opened in recent days, and ensure that Eretz HaKodesh and the right-wing bloc retain their strength — to continue to be a voice for Torah and Jewish tradition.

We call on you, our dear friends and supporters — this is the last day you can still influence the outcome of the election and tip the scales against the tens of thousands of left-wing votes. Each of you can reach out to more friends, neighbors, and community members and bring in one more vote and another — to win this election.

Yes, we can — with Siyata Dishmaya, all of us together — and in the merit of the sanctity of Shabbos — we will do it, for the holiness of Eretz Yisrael.

VOTE HERE.

Eretz HaKodesh

Prime Minister Netanyahu, in a meeting with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, reiterated his strong criticism of Qatar, calling on Israel’s allies to exert pressure: “We urge others to push not only Hamas but also Qatar, which has significant influence over Hamas, to act and secure the hostages’ release.”

The prime minister of Yemen’s internationally recognized government said Saturday he was resigning due to political struggles, underscoring the fragility of an alliance fighting Houthi rebels in the Arab world’s most impoverished country. Prime Minister Ahmed Awad Bin Mubarak announced the decision in a post on social media, attaching a resignation letter directed to Rashad al-Alimi, head of the ruling presidential council. The internationally recognized government is based in the southern city of Aden. Bin Mubarak, named prime minister in February 2024, said he was resigning because he was unable to take “necessary decisions to reform the state institution, and execute the necessary Cabinet reshuffle.” Within hours of the announcement, the presidential council named Finance Minister Salem Saleh Bin Braik as prime minister, according to the state-run SABA news agency. The council also named Bin Mubarak as an advisor to the ruling body, without addressing his claims. Ahmed Nagi, a senior Yemen analyst at the International Crisis Group think tank, said Bin Mubarak’s resignation capped months of simmering tensions between the prime minister and the ruling council over the mandate of each party. He said Bin Bubarak was in part a scapegoat for the government’s failure to address the towering economic challenges in the government-held areas, including soaring prices and repeated power outages. Yemen has been embroiled in civil war since 2014, when Iranian-backed Houthi rebels seized the capital of Sanaa, forcing the internationally recognized government into exile in Saudi Arabia. A Saudi-led coalition intervened months later and has been battling the rebels since 2015 to try and restore the government. The war has turned into a stalemated proxy conflict. The seven-member presidential council was appointed in 2022 with the aim of unifying the anti-Houthi block, but has since been divided into two main blocs. One is loyal to council member Aydarous al-Zubaidi, who chairs the secessionist Southern Transitional Council, an umbrella group of heavily armed militias propped up by the United Arab Emirates since 2015. The second is loyal to Saudi Arabia and includes al-Alimi and Sheikh Sultan al-Aradah, the powerful governor of energy-rich Marib province. Bin Mubarak’s resignation came as the United States has increased its attacks on the Houthis in Yemen. The U.S. military has launched nearly daily strikes in Houthi-held areas since March 15, when President Donald Trump ordered a new, expanded campaign against the rebels. (AP)

The Department of Justice sued Colorado and Denver on Friday for allegedly interfering with federal efforts to enforce immigration laws, the latest attempt by the Trump administration to crack down on what some call sanctuary cities and policies. The lawsuit claims the state and its most populous city, Denver, have passed “sanctuary laws” violating the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution. “The United States has well-established, preeminent, and preemptive authority to regulate immigration matters,” according to the lawsuit, which was filed in federal court in Denver. There is no strict definition for sanctuary policies or sanctuary cities, but the terms generally describe limited local cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ICE enforces U.S. immigration laws nationwide but seeks state and local help, particularly for large-scale deportations, and requests that police and sheriffs alert ICE to people it wants to deport and hold them until federal officers take custody. The Department of Justice has filed similar lawsuits against Chicago and Rochester, New York. Justice Department attorneys argue Colorado’s “sanctuary policies” allowed the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua to seize control of an apartment complex in the Denver suburb of Aurora. Local officials have called Trump’s claims that the gang had taken over large swaths of the city exaggerated, but acknowledged the apartment complex was terrorized, including by people linked to Tren de Aragua. Friday’s lawsuit lists as defendants Democratic Gov. Jared Polis, the state Legislature, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston and Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser. Polis spokesperson Conor Cahill said in an email that Colorado is not a sanctuary state and regularly works with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. “If the courts say that any Colorado law is not valid then we will follow the ruling,” he said. “We are not going to comment on the merits of the lawsuit.” Republicans in Congress have pressured officials in Democratic-led cities to cooperate with the Trump administration’s immigration agenda. Lawmakers summoned the mayors of Denver, Boston, New York and Chicago to testify last month before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. The mayors pushed back, defending their communities as welcoming places, not lawless danger zones, and called on Congress to pass immigration reform. (AP)

Following a Houthi missile strike at Ben Gurion Airport, Prime Minister Netanyahu endorsed President Trump’s position on X, and said “Israel will respond to the Houthi attack against our main airport AND, at a time and place of our choosing, to their Iranian terror masters.”

Heavy rainfall, flash floods, and massive hail struck Dimona, Israel, near the Negev.

WATCH: Heavy flash flooding is reported in southern Israel as intense rainfall hits the Arava and Negev deserts, including the main road leading to Eilat.

The United Kingdom’s main newspaper regulator has ruled that it is not “significantly inaccurate” to refer to the majority of the Palestinian security prisoners released by Israel as part of ceasefire agreements with the Hamas terrorist group as “hostages.”

The Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), a government-recognized independent regulator, said in its April 30th decision that the characterization was permissible because the term “hostage” was “somewhat subjective.”

The ruling followed a complaint made in January by the U.K. branch of CAMERA, CameraUK, against The National, a Scottish newspaper that had referred to Palestinian terrorists in Israeli jails as “hostages.”

According to Adam Levick, CAMERA’s U.K. co-editor, The National’s characterization in a headline of 369 Palestinian prisoners as hostages was a “gross misrepresentation.”

The headline was a breach of the IPSO editors’ code, because “it puts on equal moral footing” Israelis taken hostage during the Oct. 7, 2023 attack in Israel and Palestinian prisoners, “most of whom were members of a proscribed terrorist group and were convicted of violent offences,” said Levick.

The BBC, which is covered by a different regulator, made an on-air correction after describing Israeli hostages in Gaza as “prisoners.” JNS

{Matzav.com}

A baby girl was born on Friday—just before Shabbos—to the almanah of R’ Raphael Mordechai ben R’ Moshe Fishoff Hy”d, who was brutally murdered in a terror attack in Hadera this past Erev Yom Kippur. The newborn is the seventh child in the Fishoff family and will, heartbreakingly, never meet her father—an exceptional talmid chacham who gave his life al kiddush Hashem. R’ Raphael Mordechai, just 35 years old at the time of his murder, was stabbed in a horrific multi-location terror attack on October 10, 2024. He was critically wounded and later succumbed to his injuries at Hillel Yaffe Medical Center, leaving behind a grieving wife and six yesomim. Now, just months later, his widow gave birth to a baby girl. Chazal teach in Yerushalmi Moed Katan that when a new child is born during the year of aveilus, it softens the midas hadin upon the family. Some poskim say this applies to the birth of a daughter as well, and even to any simchah that enters the home. R’ Raphael Mordechai was known for his extraordinary tzidkus, his complete separation from olam hazeh, and his tireless devotion to Torah. From his early years in Yeshivas Darkei Moshe in Bnei Brak to his ascent as a leading ben Torah in Yeshivas Knesses Yitzchok in Hadera, he lived with a palpable sense of kedushah and purpose. Even after marriage, he remained fully immersed in limud haTorah, admired by his peers and roshei yeshiva. During the brief shivah, held just before Yom Kippur, his almanah shared a powerful insight with HaRav Yehoshua Ehrenberg, Rosh Yeshivas Knesses Yitzchok: “All his life, my husband would say that he wanted to be zocheh to die al kiddush Hashem.” That awe-inspiring aspiration was fulfilled in the most tragic way. Yehi zichro baruch. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Williams has lost a two-family home he owned in Brooklyn after failing to pay his mortgage for over a decade, accumulating nearly $1 million in debt, The Post has discovered. The home was seized by Bank of America following years of non-payment on a loan tied to a failed business venture.

Williams originally took out the mortgage to help finance a vegan sandwich shop in Park Slope, but the business eventually folded. In January, a state judge issued a “final judgment of foreclosure” on the home at 1392 E. 98th St. in Canarsie, siding with the bank. Court documents show Williams stopped making payments on the $389,600 loan he secured in 2006.

Despite earning $184,800 a year as public advocate, along with rental income from the property, Williams ceased paying the $1,344 monthly mortgage in 2010. This financial delinquency continued unchecked for years.

In 2014, Bank of America, which had acquired Countrywide Financial—the original lender—during the housing crisis, filed for foreclosure. A court-appointed referee later determined that by May 2023, the total amount owed had reached $784,927.13, factoring in interest and late fees.

Williams challenged the ruling in court but was unsuccessful. Last month, the house was put up for auction, but with no buyers willing to match the amount owed, the property reverted to Bank of America. According to auction.com, the outstanding debt had swelled to $944,582.

Councilman Robert Holden, a Queens Democrat who has criticized Williams in the past, was unsparing in his reaction. “Jumaane Williams has been paid a six-figure taxpayer-funded salary for years, yet he still couldn’t pay his bills or keep his home,” he said. “Like many in government, he can’t even manage his own life — so why should anyone trust him to manage the people’s business?”

Records indicate that Williams and his mother bought the Canarsie property in 2005 for $370,500. He became the sole owner one year later.

Williams has repeatedly cited unfavorable loan terms and non-paying tenants as the root of his financial troubles. His café, Earth Tonez, shuttered in 2008, just two years after he launched it with the mortgage funds.

The foreclosure clashes sharply with Williams’ public role as a defender of tenants. His office regularly publishes a “Worst Landlords Watchlist” targeting negligent property owners across the city.

“Like the very slumlords he put on his ‘Worst Landlords Watchlist,’ Jumaane Williams pocketed rent from tenants, pulled in a six-figure salary, and still failed to make basic mortgage payments on his investment property,” said Arvind Sooknanan, spokesperson for Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar, who is running against Williams in the upcoming Democratic primary. “This isn’t just bad judgment — it’s pure hypocrisy.”

The Canarsie property has also run into trouble with city agencies. In 2020, the Department of Sanitation fined Williams $300 for maintaining a “dirty area” outside the building. The fine later increased to $401 but was ultimately settled for $267.

Williams had also fallen behind on water payments, with his outstanding balance surpassing $10,000 in 2022. Records now indicate that this debt has been cleared.

Despite owning the Canarsie property, Williams doesn’t live there. He resides in Bay Ridge at the Fort Hamilton U.S. Army Garrison with his wife, a lobbyist, and his stepdaughter.

Responding to the report, Williams’ spokesperson William Gerlich said, “As has been extensively covered for a decade, the Public Advocate has an investment property in the foreclosure process, in part due to exploitative banking practices.”

“Many New Yorkers are facing much worse today – losing their family homes as a result of the affordability crisis and predatory practices – which is why the Public Advocate constantly stands up to the mayor’s rent hikes and the bad actors driving families out of our city.”

{Matzav.com}