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www.desitalk.com – that’s all you need to know 5 CITY VIEWS March 13, 2026 Raj Goyle Outlines Affordability Push, Pension Reforms In New York State Comptroller Race R aj Goyle, founder of PhoneFree NewYork and board chair of Fire Boro Institute, discussed his campaign priorities and vision for public service during an interview with Piya Jyoti Kachroo on ITV Gold. A former Kansas legislator and civil rights lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union, Goyle has also worked in technology and civic engagement. He co- founded Bodhala, a tech company aimed at reducing corporate waste, and helped launch Indian American Impact to expand South Asian political participation. If elected, Goyle could become the first South Asian and Asian American elected to statewide office in New York, according to the program’s introduction. Goyle said his interest in public service was shaped by growing up as a South Asian in the Midwest and later working as a civil rights attorney and labor organizer. “We never thought we could have that seat at the table,” he said, reflecting on how many South Asians in earlier decades did not imagine themselves in elected office. “MOST POWERFUL OFFICE YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF” Explaining the role of the NewYork State Comptroller, Goyle described it as “the most powerful office you’ve never heard of,” noting that the comptroller manages a roughly $300 billion pension fund and serves as the state’s chief auditor with oversight of public contracts and spending. He said the powers of the office can be used to reduce costs for NewYorkers, strengthen retirement security, and increase accountability in government. TOP PRIORITIES: ICE DIVESTMENT, UTILITIES, PENSIONS During the interview with Kachroo, Goyle outlined three priorities if elected: 1. Divesting from investments he says support immi- gration enforcement operations 2. Working to freeze utility hikes and address the state’s affordability crisis 3. Strengthening pension performance so retirees receive greater financial security He connected his candidacy to fear among immigrant families, citing concerns within his own household. Goyle said his mother, a long-time U.S. citizen, asked whether she could face deportation or denaturalization amid increased immigration enforcement. PENSION INVESTMENTS AND GAZA COMMENTS Discussing pension fund investments, Goyle said pub- lic funds should reflect state values while also generating strong financial returns. He expressed support for divest- ing from fossil fuels and criticized what he described as underperformance by the current comptroller compared with broader market benchmarks. Goyle also raised concerns about the state’s foreign bond investment program, saying that approximately $350 million has been invested in bonds tied to Israel, compared with about $230 million across the rest of the world combined. He said he would prefer to redirect those funds toward investments within NewYork. During the interview, Goyle also stated that he has criticized Israel’s conduct in the war in Gaza, saying he believes it has constituted war crimes and does not align with what he described as NewYork values. ADDRESSING UTILITY COSTS Kachroo also asked about rising utility costs and af- fordability challenges for NewYork residents. Goyle said the comptroller could use oversight authority to audit the Public Service Commission, the state body responsible for approving utility rate increases. He argued that rate approvals often lack transparency and suggested audits could reveal unnecessary charges passed on to consumers. TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY Goyle said transparency and accountability would be central to his approach as comptroller. He pledged to use the office’s auditing authority aggressively to identify “waste, fraud and abuse” in government spending. He also emphasized engagement with underrepre- sented communities and called for stronger anti-discrim- ination efforts amid concerns about rising hate incidents targeting South Asian and immigrant communities. “If you don’t have a seat at the table, you’re on the table,” he said. PHONEFREE NEW YORK INITIATIVE Goyle also discussed his work through PhoneFree New York, an initiative advocating restrictions on cell phone use in schools. The effort helped pass legislation limit- ing cell phone use in classrooms in NewYork, which he said aims to improve student mental health and reduce distractions. ENCOURAGING CIVIC PARTICIPATION Concluding the interview, Goyle urged viewers to remain engaged in civic life and public policy. “Please believe that we can make change,” he said, adding that government should work to improve afford- ability, strengthen pensions, and address rising costs for residents. By a StaffWriter PHOTO: ITV GOLD Raj Goyle speaks during an interview with ITV Gold host Piya Jyoti Kachroo, discussing his campaign for New York State Comptroller and key issues including affordability, pension oversight, and transparency in government. Pakistani Man Convicted In Iran-Backed Plot To Kill Trump A Pakistani man was convicted Friday of a plan to work with the Iranian government to murder President Donald Trump and other high-ranking officials, in a trial that coincided with the United States’ escalat- ing war with Iran. Asif Merchant was arrested in July 2024 and found guilty of attempted terrorism and murder for hire. His case in federal district court in Brooklyn focused on what prosecutors said was an attempt to steal documents, launder money and hire hit men to attack American politicians. In court this week, Merchant said he had been recruited by the Islamic Revolution- ary Guard Corps, though he said he was motivated to act because he feared for his life and safety. In an email, Merchant’s lawyer, Avra- hamMoskowitz said, “although we are disappointed in the result, we are grateful for the jury’s careful attention and hard work.” He added, “there are complex and significant legal issues yet to be decided. We remain confident that we will ulti- mately achieve a favorable result for Mr. Merchant.” Merchant’s plot was foiled before he made any attempts on officials’ lives. But his case has played out amid a broaden- ing conflict in the Middle East. As the war enters its second week, Trump early Saturday said the number of targets in the war would expand. Israel also ramped up its strikes across Iran, with jets targeting Tehran and Isfahan, including Revolution- ary Guard Corps targets and missile stor- age units, according to the Israel Defense Forces. Iran also said it launched “large-scale” strikes on American posts in the region. Neighboring countries like the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia reported intercepting attacks. Merchant said he didn’t have explicit instructions on whom to kill. But at times, his handler mentioned Trump, former president Joe Biden and Nikki Haley, the former governor of South Carolina who was also the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations in Trump’s first term, ac- cording to prosecutors. Iran has sought to assassinate Trump since the airstrike that killed Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani in January 2020, during Trump’s first term. Iranian officials have also threatened some of Trump’s former advisers, including Mike Pompeo and John Bolton. In the last week, alongside messages of regime change and the destruction of Iran’s missile capabilities, Trump has also described personal reasons for wanting to strike Iran. He told ABC News last week that the country’s efforts to assassinate him partly shaped the U.S.-Israeli opera- tion that killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. “I got him before he got me,” Trump said. “I got him first.” No evidence has connected Iran with the two attempts on Trump’s life in 2024. But those incidents and broader security threats weighed heavily on the campaign at the time. U.N. Ambassador MikeWaltz also pointed to Iran’s moves to target Trump as rationale for striking the country. “It is responsible for a series of unpro- voked armed attacks against the United States and Israel, violations of the U.N. charter, and threats to international peace and security across the Middle East,” Waltz said at an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council. “It has even at- tempted to assassinate the U.S. president, President Trump.” In a statement after the conviction, Joseph Nocella Jr., U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of NewYork, said Iran sent Merchant “here to sow mayhem and murder.” FBI Director Kash Patel said de- spite Merchant’s plans, law enforcement “stopped that deadly plot.” Merchant was at a Houston airport in April 2024 when he was initially searched and questioned by immigration enforce- ment, including about recent travels in Iran. He was released but ultimately had his plot fall apart after meeting with an acquaintance who, unbeknownst to Merchant, was an FBI informant, the NewYork Times reported. Merchant had explained his plans and did not know he was being recorded. -TheWashington Post By Rachel Siegel