New York City’s new mayor is under fire after a transition team pick resurfaced posts that attack Israel and use language aimed at Jewish people, and critics say those posts make a mockery of campaign promises to fight antisemitism. Lawmakers and local Republicans are calling the hire proof that personnel choices matter more than platitudes, insisting the city deserves better vetting. The situation has turned into a test of whether words from the campaign translate into action at City Hall.
Reports identified Hassaan Chaudhary as a member of Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s transition effort with a social media history filled with hostile anti-Israel rhetoric and slurs. Chaudhary apologized for the posts, saying the decade-old posts don’t represent his current views and that he looks back on them with “regret.” That apology hasn’t calmed critics who say the content goes beyond acceptable political criticism.
PATRIOTS OWNER ROBERT KRAFT CALLS MAMDANI NYC ELECTION ‘SAD’ AND VICTORY SPEECH ‘DIVISIVE’ Mamdani’s team labeled Chaudhary a Muslim outreach director and denied he was a political director, but they stopped short of announcing any dismissal. Voters are left to wonder why someone with such a record was welcomed into a transition that pledged to combat antisemitism.
New York Republican Assemblyman Jake Blumencranz didn’t mince words when he reacted. “Let’s be transparent — this isn’t some innocent staffing mistake,” he said, and then warned, “When the incoming Mayor surrounds himself with someone who uses language about Jews reminiscent of the 1930s, praises Ahmadinejad, and holds other abhorrent views, that’s not a red flag — that’s a flashing siren. Extremism isn’t a fringe element of Zohran Mamdani’s team; it’s the foundation he’s building/destroying City Hall on.”
A Mamdani spokesperson told reporters that “These comments from over a decade ago are reprehensible and in no way reflect the views of the mayor-elect or this transition,” but that statement lacks immediate corrective action. Political talk is cheap if it is not followed by personnel moves that reflect the commitment on paper. For many observers, swift removal would be the only credible response.
Republican City Council member Inna Vernikov framed the episode as part of a larger, troubling pattern. She said that “useful idiots on the hard left have yet to realize that they’re just small pawns in a big and dangerous game,” and added, “The same agitators screaming in defense of Hamas would be thrown off a roof for their various gender identities. Zohran needs to get one thing clear: he is no longer a protester. He now has a city of 8 million to govern.” Her comments reflect a hard-line concern about ideological extremism moving from protest lines into official roles.
MAMDANI SLAMMED FOR JETTING TO ‘LUXURY RESORT’ FOR PUERTO RICO CONFERENCE DURING SHUTDOWN Critics also point to Mamdani’s past activism, including organizing in college and a public record of criticism toward Israel that voters debated during the campaign. Hundreds of local faith leaders raised alarms before the election, and that unease didn’t vanish with the final vote. The central question now is whether Mamdani will put governing above old allegiances.
Mamdani has repeatedly said he will serve all New Yorkers and promised, “We will build a City Hall that stands steadfast alongside Jewish New Yorkers and does not waver in the fight against the scourge of antisemitism,” and he insisted he takes the issue “incredibly seriously.” Those lines were delivered on the campaign trail and election night, but they are only as meaningful as the actions that follow. Republicans and others are demanding concrete steps rather than slogans.
Blumencranz has returned to a familiar Republican refrain: “personnel is policy” and warned New Yorkers to “better buckle up” if these hires are a preview of the administration. He said bluntly, “You don’t ‘accidentally’ hire a person who has spent years spewing this kind of hate,” and argued, “The fact that Mamdani hasn’t immediately removed him tells every New Yorker exactly what kind of administration we’re about to get — one where bigotry is tolerated, where antisemitism is normalized, and where the most hateful voices are welcomed into the Gracie Mansion and City Hall.” That language is meant to jolt the city into demanding accountability now.
The Mamdani transition team has not clarified Chaudhary’s current employment status, which only fuels the criticism. “Every resident of this city, Jewish or not, should be alarmed,” Blumencranz said, stressing the risk political insiders see in tolerating such rhetoric. “This is dangerous, it’s divisive, and it’s a disgrace.” Those words leave an open challenge: follow the pledges with prompt, transparent staffing decisions that protect every community in the city.
Darnell Thompkins is a conservative opinion writer from Atlanta, GA, known for his insightful commentary on politics, culture, and community issues. With a passion for championing traditional values and personal responsibility, Darnell brings a thoughtful Southern perspective to the national conversation. His writing aims to inspire meaningful dialogue and advocate for policies that strengthen families and empower individuals.