By Gabriela Resto-Montero
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
UPPER EAST SIDE — Reshma Saujani rose through the Democratic ranks as one of Hillary Clinton's biggest fundraisers but, on Friday, former President Bill Clinton threw his support behind her opponent in the Sept. 14 primary, Rep. Carolyn Maloney.
Clinton cited Maloney's support of the first bill he signed as president in 1993, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and subsequent work trying to expand the act's coverage to include LGBT people.
"That is how you effect real change—by figuring out how to build upon the progress we've made as a nation," Clinton said in a statement. "We need her creative, persistent effectiveness in congress. Especially now, with all the work she's done on financial issues."
President Barack Obama endoresed Maloney in April.
Meanwhile, hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons, founder of Def Jam Records, joined Grammy Award-winning singer John Legend in supporting Saujani's campaign Friday.
"It's refreshing to have a politician who speaks her mind and advocates for what she believes is right, no matter the political consequences," Simmons said in a statement supporting Saujani.
"We need people who will give voice to underrepresented communities in New York City, and I have all the confidence in the world that Reshma will be that voice," he said.
Simmons weighed in on the debate over construction of the Park51 mosque near Ground Zero, an issue Saujani has urged Maloney to support more vehemently, with a Coexist sign in the windows of his Financial District home.
Simmons endorsement followed two newspaper endorsements for Saujani from the New York Daily News and the New York Observer.
