NYC Mayor-Elect Mamdani Faces Criticism for Appointing Controversial Activist to Transition Team

Newly elected socialist New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has appointed Tamika Mallory, a controversial activist with a history of antisemitism allegations, to his transition team, sparking immediate criticism across the city.

Mallory, a vocal advocate for defunding and eventually abolishing police departments, will serve on Mamdani’s Committee on Public Safety, according to a press release published on Brooklyn community site BRIC. She joins approximately 400 “experts” appointed to help shape the incoming administration’s policies and personnel decisions.

In announcing the appointments, Mamdani described the team as representing the “top talent” who “will be instrumental to ensuring we hit the ground running on January 1st — and that our results align with the promises we’ve made.” The transition team members will advise on key personnel appointments and provide guidance on policy implementation.

Mallory’s appointment has drawn sharp criticism due to her controversial past. In 2019, she resigned from her leadership position with The Women’s March following backlash over her association with Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, who has a well-documented history of antisemitic rhetoric, including comparing Jews to termites.

During a 2019 appearance on “The View,” Mallory was directly questioned about her relationship with Farrakhan. When host Sunny Hostin asked why she called Farrakhan the “greatest of all time” (GOAT) while running an organization fighting bigotry, Mallory defended her position.

“I didn’t call him the greatest of all time because of his rhetoric. I called him the greatest of all time because of what he’s done in black communities,” Mallory responded, adding that as a Black leader she often needs to enter “difficult spaces” to promote her cause.

Critics point out that Mallory has repeatedly praised Farrakhan, calling him an “honorable minister” on multiple occasions. She was also seen attending an event where Farrakhan declared that “the powerful Jew is my enemy.”

Beyond the antisemitism controversy, Mallory’s views on policing have raised concerns about her role on the public safety committee. In a 2020 interview, she stated: “I definitely support the term ‘defund the police.’ I am not the author of it, but I have adopted the language… I support it 100 percent.” She went further by adding, “I do believe that one day we can abolish police.”

As recently as 2021, Mallory reiterated this stance on social media, posting “Defund. The. Police.” Her appointment to a committee focused on public safety has alarmed those who worry about the future direction of policing in America’s largest city.

The appointment has drawn significant criticism from various quarters. Author Trisha Posner, who specializes in writing about antisemitism, wrote that Mallory “praised Farrakhan, pushed lies about Jewish involvement in the slave trade, and called Israel’s founding a ‘human rights crime.’ This isn’t ‘community safety.’ It’s mainstreaming hate.”

The Lawfare Project was equally critical, posting that “Mallory is a notorious trafficker of Jew-hatred in America, a defender for Louis Farrakhan’s vicious vitriol against Jews.”

This controversy emerges as Mayor-elect Mamdani himself faces accusations of antisemitism, which he has denied. The appointment of Mallory appears to be intensifying scrutiny of his positions on these issues before he even takes office.

The transition team appointments come at a particularly sensitive time for New York City, which has seen rising crime rates and ongoing tensions between police reform advocates and those concerned about public safety. How Mamdani navigates these early controversies may set the tone for his administration’s relationship with various communities across the city.

Neither Mamdani nor Mallory have responded to requests for comment regarding the appointment or the ensuing criticism.