New York City’s incoming socialist mayor-elect just hit a major roadblock before even stepping into City Hall.
The Daily Mail reported that the latest drama surrounds Catherine Almonte Da Costa, who was tapped by Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani as director of appointments, only to resign on Thursday after a series of old, offensive social media posts resurfaced and sparked outrage.
Mamdani announced Da Costa’s hiring on Wednesday with fanfare, praising her decade of public service in a now-deleted Instagram post. But within hours, the internet did what it does best—dug up dirt.
A Substack newsletter, The Judge Street Journal, broke the story, revealing antisemitic tweets Da Costa posted over a decade ago. These weren’t just offhand remarks; they leaned into tired stereotypes that have no place in any era, let alone in the office of a mayor-elect.
Take this gem from January 2011: "Money hungry Jews smh," Da Costa wrote. If that’s not a classic trope straight out of the dark ages, what is? It’s the kind of rhetoric that fuels division, not the unity progressives like Mamdani often preach.
Other posts weren’t much better, including a 2012 comment calling a train line the “Jew train” and mocking Orthodox Jewish women’s traditions. When these resurfaced, Da Costa reportedly deleted the account, but the damage was already done.
The backlash was immediate, with the Anti-Defamation League of New York/New Jersey slamming the posts on social media for echoing harmful stereotypes. It’s hard to argue with their stance—public officials, or those aspiring to be, must be held to a higher standard.
Da Costa issued an apology, claiming her views have evolved since those posts were made. She told the Daily Mail, "As the mother of two Jewish children, I deeply regret and apologize for these tweets from well over a decade ago." Fair enough, but apologies can’t erase the sting of words that cut deep.
Her husband, Ricky Da Costa, also chimed in, defending her growth since her teenage years. While personal change is possible, one has to wonder why someone with this baggage was chosen for such a pivotal role in the first place.
By Thursday, Da Costa had resigned, a move Mamdani accepted while noting her “deep remorse” for the past statements. But this isn’t just about one bad hire—it raises questions about the vetting process for an administration that’s already under scrutiny.
Mamdani himself isn’t a stranger to controversy, having faced criticism for not outright condemning divisive slogans like “Globalize the Intifada.” While he’s said he’d “discourage” its use, that tepid response doesn’t exactly scream leadership in a city as diverse as New York.
Da Costa’s role was no small potatoes—she would have overseen key appointments for Mamdani’s team at City Hall. For a mayor-elect promising a “new era,” this fiasco feels more like a rerun of progressive overreach meeting predictable consequences.
Both Mamdani and Da Costa have stayed mum beyond their initial statements, and the ADL declined further comment. But the silence speaks volumes—how many more skeletons are lurking in the closets of this incoming administration?
At the end of the day, New Yorkers deserve leaders who don’t just react to scandals but prevent them with sound judgment upfront. This incident isn’t just a hiccup; it’s a warning sign about the pitfalls of prioritizing ideology over scrutiny.
