First stumbling block for Mamdani: An official on his team resigns after revelations of old antisemitic posts

One of the first appointments of mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani ended in resignation barely a day after it was announced, following the dissemination of old social media posts containing antisemitic expressions.

Catherine Almonte Da Costa, appointed director of appointments, presented her resignation on Thursday afternoon, a few hours after comments she had written years ago were made public. Mamdani confirmed that he accepted her resignation.

"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 to the Judge Street Journal.

Past posts under scrutiny

The messages, initially revealed by the Judge Street Journal, included references that reproduced antisemitic stereotypes, with contemptuous expressions toward Jews and associations of specific communities with economic and social clichés.

In a public statement, Da Costa expressed regret for her words, acknowledged the damage caused and claimed that the controversy had become a distraction to the work of the transition team, which is why she decided to step aside from office.

The episode takes place in a particularly delicate context for Mamdani, who, during his campaign, faced strong opposition from sectors of the Jewish community. This resistance was linked to his previous criticism of Israel and his refusal to publicly condemn the slogan "globalize the intifada."