Mayor Mamdani has reached a new low by deflecting blame for the cold, homeless deaths

President of the city council Julie Menin has it absolutely right: “These New Yorkers should be alive today” — and the city needs a formal, independent investigation into who decided what, when and why, says Mayor Zahran Mamdani’s administration. 18 people were allowed to die In cold arctic temperatures this month.

The city medical examiner says at least 15 people died of hypothermia

We are still learning the names and stories of those who died, though at least some actually had city-provided shelter but nonetheless remained outside because city workers either couldn’t find them or didn’t force them into their homes.

Tuesday’s council hearing revealed that 250 people were left outside because “the person refused services provided by the Mobile Outreach Response Team.”

the The mayor continues to demonstrate That he had no choice – that no policy had been changed from the Eric Adams administration, and state law did not allow involuntary removal unless the person faced an imminent deadly threat.

In fact, Adams (with senior counsel Diane Savino) changed precisely this law To allow New Yorkers vulnerable to the cold to enter (And other life-threatening situations).

This new law allows for action to be taken even when homeless people are not yet in imminent danger, as long as the physical danger is real; It specifically targets those souls who are so disturbed that they cannot recognize and meet their basic needs.

By definition, staying on the street during a Code Blue emergency is a real risk – and to insist on doing so is tantamount to failing to recognize your true needs.

It’s Mamdani’s choice to leave them there anyway.

“To those who feel more comfortable on the streets… I implore you to come in,” the mayor urged last Friday — even as he insisted that forcing homeless people off the freezing, wind-chilled streets should be a “last resort.”

Not only does Mamdani’s draconian “last resort” policy leave first responders and outreach workers desperate because their “hands are tied” because they can only “pray.”

It’s also this: How much time did they spend “begging” when they could have instead been looking for more people to bring in?

Here’s the main context for other stats from the 311 calls: Nothing happened as a result 96% of calls made to homeless services during the cold snap; In 72% of cases, city workers couldn’t even find the person the guide was referring to.

Mamdani clearly thinks he can wash his hands of all this; Two of the officials he sent to answer City Council questions Tuesday, Emergency Management Commissioner Zach Escol and Department of Social Services Commissioner Molly Wasow Park, were on their way out of the house — yet they were following his policies, which he refuses to change or even abide by.

How about some real accountability: New Yorkers should know exactly what orders their mayor has issued, or whether someone else on his team is the actual decision maker.

The City Council’s authority here appears to be limited to requesting testimony and subpoenaing documents; Mamdani’s far-left allies control the legislature. The governor is desperate for his support in her re-election year — and Mayor Bill de Blasio has proven just how helpless the city’s Department of Investigations is when it comes to investigating the big boss.

Perhaps billions in federal funding for city services will give Congress or the Department of Justice the standing to get to the bottom of this disgrace. It appears the New York government either can’t, or won’t.