Director of Appointments steps down after decades-old social media comments surface, raising questions about transition screening
Vetting Failure: Mamdani Appointee Resigns Over Resurfaced Antisemitic Posts
Catherine Almonte Da Costa resigned from her newly announced position as Director of Appointments on December 18, 2025, just one day after Zohran Mamdani named her to lead the incoming administration’s recruitment strategy. The resignation followed disclosure of social media posts from more than a decade ago that contained antisemitic language. The episode exposed gaps in the mayor-elect’s vetting process and raised immediate questions about oversight mechanisms within the incoming administration. Da Costa’s post, announced publicly on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, positioned her to lead recruitment efforts for the entire Mamdani administration. Upon announcement, she described her vision: “building a government that is both mission-driven and deeply capable, a government staffed by diverse leaders with the skill and the experience to turn vision into results.” She emphasized recruiting talent “to reflect the rich diversity of race, faith, geography, language and ethnicity that defines the city.” That language proved ironic after the Anti-Defamation League’s New York and New Jersey chapter published details of Da Costa’s old social media posts on December 18. According to reporting from the Judge Street Journal, a New York politics newsletter, Da Costa had posted on Twitter in 2011 referring to “money hungry Jews” and wrote in a subsequent post that “Far Rockaway train is the Jew train.” The posts, originating from a now-deleted account, reflected classic antisemitic stereotypes.
Immediate Acknowledgment and Departure
Da Costa responded quickly. In a statement released through Mamdani’s transition team, she acknowledged the posts and expressed remorse: “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 accepted immediately. His statement read: “Catherine expressed her deep remorse over her past statements and tendered her resignation, and I accepted.” The ADL’s New York and New Jersey chapter took a more pointed position, writing on social media: “Tweeting about ‘Money hungry Jews’ is indefensible. We appreciate Da Costa has relationships with members of the Jewish community, but her posts require immediate explanation not just from Ms. Da Costa, but also from the Mayor-Elect.” The chapter added that Da Costa’s posts “echo classic antisemitic tropes and otherwise demean Jewish people.”
The Vetting Question
A crucial question emerged: How did such posts escape detection during the transition’s vetting process? A Mamdani spokesperson told NBC News that the posts were not detected during transition vetting. This raises concerns about the depth of background screening implemented for senior positions. For an appointee tasked with hiring decisions across the entire municipal government, comprehensive background investigation would seem essential. Social media vetting has become standard practice in corporate human resources and political campaigns. Posts from more than a decade ago, particularly those no longer publicly available, might escape cursory review. However, the incident suggests either insufficient vetting depth or inadequate resource allocation to screening processes. The posting history spanned years, from 2011 to 2012, suggesting a pattern rather than isolated comments.
Context and Controversy
Da Costa’s resignation occurred against a broader backdrop of Jewish community concerns regarding Mamdani’s positions on Israel and antisemitism. During his campaign, Mamdani faced criticism from Jewish leaders and organizations regarding his past rhetoric on Israel and Palestinian issues. He characterized his criticism as focused on Israeli government policy, not antisemitic in nature. However, many Jewish New Yorkers expressed skepticism, with exit polls showing only 31 percent of Jewish voters supporting Mamdani compared to 65 percent for his opponent, former Governor Andrew Cuomo. Mamdani had stated during campaign appearances: “I will be the mayor who does not just protect Jewish New Yorkers, but also celebrates and cherishes them.” He committed to developing plans to combat antisemitism. The Da Costa episode potentially undermines those reassurances, suggesting that even individuals close to the incoming administration harbored problematic views.
Succession Questions
The transition team has not yet announced Da Costa’s replacement. The position of Director of Appointments holds significant power over personnel decisions throughout the administration. The appointee shapes hiring for hundreds of positions across city government. Given the revelation regarding Da Costa, rigorous vetting for her replacement becomes essential. The episode also raises questions about whether other appointees have undergone similarly thorough background investigation. Transition teams often operate under intense time pressure, with limited weeks to staff an administration. That pressure can result in compressed vetting processes. The Da Costa case suggests the incoming Mamdani administration may need to invest additional resources in background screening, particularly for positions involving hiring authority. For information on the Anti-Defamation League’s analysis of antisemitism, visit the ADL’s research page. Details on NYC’s equal employment opportunity and conflict of interest regulations appear on the Conflicts of Interest Board website. Information on transition team personnel appears on the official transition site. For additional reporting on the incident, see Judge Street Journal’s coverage.
