Mamdani Appointee Resigns Over Old Antisemitic Posts

Catherine Almonte Da Costa, a key appointee to New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani's transition team, resigned on Thursday, one day after her selection as director of appointments, following the resurfacing of social media posts from over a decade ago that contained antisemitic tropes.

Da Costa, 33, had been tasked with leading the recruitment and staffing strategy for Mamdani's incoming administration. The posts, dating to 2011 and 2012 when she was 18, included remarks such as "Money hungry Jews smh" and references mocking Jewish commuters on what she called the "Jew train," as well as comments about "rich Jewish peeps" in her workplace. The content was recently shared online by the Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish advocacy organization, which described it as echoing classic antisemitic stereotypes and demeaning Jewish people.

In a statement released through Mamdani's office, Da Costa expressed deep remorse. "As the mother of two Jewish children, I feel a profound sense of sadness and remorse at the harm these words have caused," she said. "These statements are not indicative of who I am." She added that she had spoken directly with Mamdani, apologized for the remarks,...