Mamdani Defends Lack of Jews in Judicial Panel Recommendations

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Mayor Zohran Mamdani defended the choice of members of his newly unveiled judicial advisory panel, which had drawn criticism for having no Jews.

“Any suggestion that there would be any decision made or motivated by religion, it does bother me,” he said.

He also defended his rejection of retired Appellate Division Associate Justice John Leventhal, a Jewish applicant, out of "concern" upon learning that Leventhal had served on the legal team of Ghislaine Maxwell.

Leventhal told the Washington Free Beacon that "it’s hypocritical to pick on the Maxwell case when people have other unpopular clients” and added that "the fact that I’m Jewish, it has a stink about it."