LGBTQ+ club calls on NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani, City Council to remove Ed Koch's name from the Queensboro Bridge. Here's why.

As New York City ushers in Pride Month, an LGBTQ+ democratic club is mounting a campaign to have former Mayor Ed Koch's name removed from the 59th Street Bridge.

It's a move that is roiling the Big Apple political world.

Why the club wants Koch canceled  

If you talk to members of the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club, former Mayor Michael Bloomberg's decision to name the span that connects Manhattan and Queens the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge is no longer water under the bridge.

The club wants Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the City Council to revoke the honor, after making a commitment to cancel Koch a condition of its endorsements due to the club's perception that Koch mishandled the 1980s AIDS crisis.

CBS News New York's Marcia Kramer asked the club's president, Allen Roskoff, if Koch deserves to have a bridge named after him.

"Absolutely not, absolutely not. It's a slap in the face to the people who died of AIDS and to those of us who survived, and to their friends and family," Roskoff said.

Mamdani was among those supporting a name change, at first

Roskoff has made removing Koch's name from the 59th Street Bridge his mission, of sorts.

When he was running for mayor, Mamdani said, "Yes, I support renaming" when he filled out the club's questionnaire.

Roskoff says a lot of politicians agreed with that.

"We're putting that list together right now, but it includes [New York Attorney General Letitia] James, State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, one, two, three, four, four New York City borough presidents, numerous members of Congress, and assembly members, senators," Roskoff said.

Some politicians are now taking a wait-and-see approach about stripping Koch's name off the bridge.

Mayoral spokesperson Dora Pekec confirmed that Mamdani did turn thumbs down on the Koch bridge, but as for immediate action, she said, "It's not a priority for the administration right now."

City Council Speaker Julie Menin, whose district includes the 59th Street Bridge, also backed off her original support for removing Koch's name.

"I don't think it needs to be renamed right now," Menin said.

Other political leaders say removing Koch's name is a must  

Public Advocate Jumaane Williams is among those who are for a name change.

"I voted against naming the Queensboro Bridge after Koch. I'll support any measure to remove that," Williams said.

"I support renaming the Queensboro Bridge," congressional candidate Brad Lander said.

Roskoff said he intends to keep pushing for the name change. CBS News New York reached out to members of the Koch's family, but they declined to comment.