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A Top Zohran Mamdani Appointee Resigns Due To Old Antisemitic Posts

Bonisiwe Shabane
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a top zohran mamdani appointee resigns due to old antisemitic posts

With under two weeks to go before he’s sworn in, New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has not announced many hires for his administration. One of the few that he has announced was forced to almost immediately resign Thursday after her past antisemitic tweets came to light. Catherine Almonte Da Costa, whom Mamdani named his director of appointments just on Wednesday, in 2011 tweeted about “money-hungry Jews” and other similar comments, in posts first reported by The Judge Street Journal, a... In a statement, Da Costa said, “I spoke with the Mayor-elect this afternoon, apologized, and expressed my deep regret for my past statements. These statements are not indicative of who I am. As the mother of Jewish children, I feel a profound sense of sadness and remorse at the harm these words have caused.

As this has become a distraction from the work at hand, I have offered my resignation.” Mamdani’s transition also provided a statement from the mayor-elect: “Catherine expressed her deep remorse over her past statements and tendered her resignation, and I accepted.” Several New York political insiders told CNN that they questioned the incoming administration’s vetting process, given that she was picked despite tweets that were revealed so quickly after her announced hire. A top appointee to New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s incoming administration on Dec. 18 resigned over resurfaced antisemitic social media posts. A day earlier, Catherine Almonte Da Costa had been announced as the incoming mayor’s director of appointments, which leads the administration’s hiring for city leadership.

She previously had roles in city government and the private sector, including Sotheby’s, according to the Mamdani transition team’s Dec. 17 news release. On Dec. 18, the Anti-Defamation League posted a series of Da Costa’s old X, formerly known as Twitter, posts between 2011 and 2012 when she made anti-Jewish tropes. Mamdani, who takes office Jan. 1, is set to become New York’s first Muslim mayor, and he's faced criticism from many Jewish groups over his stances toward Israel and Palestine.

Exit polls showed most Jewish voters didn’t support Mamdani. New York is home to the largest Jewish population outside of Israel. In 2011, when she was around 19 years old, Da Costa posted “Money hungry Jews smh,” as well as “Woo! Promoted to the upstairs office today! Working alongside these rich Jewish peeps.” A 2012 post called a train line “the Jew train.” NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- Catherine Almonte Da Costa resigned after criticism of antisemitic posts on her social media when she was young.

"This is not indicative of who I am," she said. Da Costa is married to a Jewish man and she is the mother of two Jewish children. Mamdani, before and during the election strongly apologized for some of the statements he made when he was young. In a press conference Friday, Mamdani told reporters that New Yorkers have a right to expect better and apologized, claiming he did not adequately vet her. Luke Tress is The Times of Israel's New York correspondent. NEW YORK — An appointee to New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s incoming administration resigned on Thursday after old antisemitic social media posts surfaced earlier in the day.

Mamdani named Catherine Almonte Da Costa as his administration’s director of appointments on Wednesday. The director of appointments is a high-ranking role in the mayor’s office that oversees the recruitment and placement of key staff. On Thursday, a day after Mamdani tapped her for the role, the Anti-Defamation League exposed antisemitic comments Da Costa posted on X in 2011 and 2012. Da Costa wrote, “Money hungry Jews smh,” using an acronym that stands for “shaking my head.” Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2025. Donate today

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations Zohran Mamdani’s newly tapped director of appointments resigned Thursday hours after the discovery of antisemitic social media posts she made more than a decade ago. “I spoke with the mayor-elect this afternoon, apologized, and expressed my deep regret for my past statements,” Catherine Almonte Da Costa said in a statement provided by Mamdani’s transition team. One day after Mamdani’s announcement of the appointment, the Anti-Defamation League and others posted screenshots of antisemitic tweets from an account associated with Da Costa. For instance, one screenshot showed a 2011 post where she referred to “Money hungry Jews.” Another screenshot shows a 2012 tweet where she wrote, “Far Rockaway train is the Jew train.” Gothamist has not... The account associated with the tweets no longer exists on X.

The NYC mayor-elect had tapped Catherine Almonte Da Costa as director of appointments Catherine Almonte Da Costa, Director of Appointments, speaks during a press conference with New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani (L) and Jahmila Edwards (C), Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, on December 17, 2025 in New... New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s newly tapped director of appointments, Catherine Almonte Da Costa, resigned on Thursday afternoon after her history of antisemitic online posts — including complaining about “money hungry Jews” —... “Catherine expressed her deep remorse over her past statements and tendered her resignation, and [Mamdani] accepted,” Dora Pekec, the mayor-elect’s transition team spokesperson, said in a statement to Jewish Insider. Da Costa, who previously served as executive assistant to former Mayor Bill DeBlasio and was appointed by Mamdani on Wednesday, posted a series of antisemitic comments in 2011 and 2012, which were shared by... Da Costa’s account — and the posts, which had remained online — was deleted once the antisemitism watchdog published her posts on Thursday.

An appointee tapped to lead New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani's recruitment efforts resigned Thursday after antisemitic social media posts resurfaced. Catherine Almonte Da Costa resigned a day after Mamdani named her director of appointments, with responsibilities to strategize recruitment in his administration. "I spoke with the Mayor-elect this afternoon, apologized, and expressed my deep regret for my past statements. These statements are not indicative of who I am," Da Costa said in a statement through Mamdani’s transition team. "As the mother of Jewish children, I feel a profound sense of sadness and remorse at the harm these words have caused. As this has become a distraction from the work at hand, I have offered my resignation," she added.

In remarks after Mamdani announced her appointment Wednesday, Da Costa had described “building a government that is both mission-driven and deeply capable, a government staffed by diverse leaders with the skill and the experience...

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