Very rarely does a municipal election capture the entire nation's attention, but now everyone is watching Zohran Mamdani in New York City.
Mamdani has made several questionable appointments already, and he has another brewing problem.
Reports broke this week that, only one week out from his inauguration, Mamdani continues to scramble to find staffers for some key appointments.
One of Mamdani's early appointments that caught my attention was that of Mysonne Linen, 49, a convicted felon.
It was not so much the appointment as it was the post for which he was tapped, as he is now set to serve as Mamdani’s criminal justice adviser.
Linen stated, “This is a testament to our decades of work advocating on behalf of black and brown communities and our expertise in gun violence prevention, legislative advocacy and criminal justice reform.”
He added, “We are building something different.”
I am not sure if Mamdani is running out of names or if these people are truly qualified, but he also raised a lot of eyebrows by adding children’s YouTuber Ms. Rachel to his transition staff.
In announcing her appointment, he stated, “I’m honored to be joined by some of the most creative and experienced minds in the city as we build an inauguration that is truly by and for New Yorkers.”
Ms. Rachel’s real name is Rachel Griffin Accurso, and her past allegations against the Jewish community are not sitting well with some people, especially when you consider Mamdani’s past on this front.
For instance, former City University of New York trustee Jeffrey Wiesenfeld commented, “Jews and Christians are in for a rough ride. Mamdani is not representing the Jewish community in any way, shape or form. This is not David Dinkins’ ‘gorgeous mosaic.'”
Mamdani will be sworn in next week, but he is apparently still waiting to find people to fill some major roles.
Among the key positions that still need to be filled are that of deputy mayor for operations and key economic development and planning posts.
When you consider the mayor-elect's radical agenda, these are very important posts in the upcoming administration. Mamdani, however, seems confident he will be able to fill these roles, stating, “We are fully confident in the team that we are assembling and in the pace at which we are assembling it.”
Keep in mind, he has already had one staffer resign when her anti-Semitic posts were revealed by the Anti-Defamation League's Mamdani Tracker, which is monitoring and investigating every move he makes. So, as I said in the opening, everyone is watching, Mr. Mamdani. Tread carefully.
