New York City’s incoming administration under Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is already hitting turbulence before even taking off, as Breitbart reports.
In a stunning turn of events, Catherine Almonte Da Costa, tapped as director of appointments for Mamdani’s team, resigned on Thursday, just one day after her announcement, due to resurfaced social media posts brimming with derogatory comments about Jews and hostility toward law enforcement.
For hardworking taxpayers in New York City, especially Jewish families and small business owners, this fiasco raises serious red flags about potential financial burdens from legal challenges or hate crime lawsuits if such divisive rhetoric continues to shape city leadership. The risk of lawsuits or even federal investigations into discriminatory staffing practices could hit public coffers hard. And let’s not kid ourselves -- trust in city hall is already on life support.
Da Costa’s appointment was unveiled with fanfare on Wednesday, positioning her to steer staffing for critical city roles.
By the next day, old social media posts from 2011 and 2012 had surfaced, revealing troubling language like “Money hungry Jews” and mockery of Jewish commuters as riding the “Jew train.”
She didn’t stop there -- her disdain for law enforcement was equally loud, with posts calling NYPD officers “piggies” and endorsing anti-police slogans during the 2020 George Floyd protests, including calls to slash $1 billion from the NYPD budget.
Da Costa’s push to defund the NYPD and remove officers from schools and subways only adds fuel to the fire of public safety concerns in a city already grappling with rising crime and distrust in institutions.
While her resignation wasn’t explicitly tied to the anti-police rhetoric, it’s hard to ignore the growing backlash over her appointment amidst violent assaults on Jewish individuals during Hanukkah and broader spikes in hate crimes.
“As the mother of Jewish children, I feel a profound sense of sadness and remorse at the harm these words have caused,” Da Costa stated in a public apology. Nice sentiment, but apologies don’t erase the damage when you’re set to wield influence over an entire city’s hiring.
Mamdani, a far-left Democratic socialist with a track record of anti-Israel stances, accepted Da Costa’s resignation, noting she had shown “deep remorse” over her past remarks. Remorse is fine, but what about accountability for vetting a senior staffer with such a public history of divisive comments?
This incident isn’t a lone blip -- another Mamdani staffer recently apologized for past statements, and his transition team includes controversial figures like BLM activist Tamika Mallory, tied to accusations of antisemitic associations.
Then there’s Mysonne Linen, a formerly incarcerated rapper convicted of armed robbery in 1999, now leading Mamdani’s public safety transition efforts -- hardly a confidence booster for a city desperate for law and order.
Polling shows most Jewish New Yorkers fear Mamdani’s administration could make the city less safe for them, a concern amplified by current holiday-season violence and heightened security needs.
Combine that with anti-police sentiment in his inner circle, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster in a city already on edge over hate crimes and crumbling public trust.
Mamdani’s staffing picks aren’t just tone-deaf -- they’re a flashing warning sign for anyone who values stability over ideology.
