New York City's incoming mayoral administration under Zohran Mamdani just hit a major speed bump before even taking the wheel.

Catherine Almonte Da Costa, tapped as director of appointments for Mayor-elect Mamdani, resigned on Thursday after old social media posts brimming with antisemitic venom resurfaced, sparking outrage and concern just days before the new administration's start.

For hardworking New York taxpayers, this fiasco raises red flags about the vetting process for top city roles, especially when public trust and potential legal liabilities from discriminatory behavior could cost the city dearly in lawsuits or lost credibility.

Disturbing Posts from the Past Emerge

Back in 2011 and 2012, Da Costa posted on a now-deleted X account, tossing out phrases like "money hungry Jews" and dubbing a Far Rockaway train the "Jew train."

These aren't just youthful missteps—they’re the kind of remarks that make you wonder how someone with such a public record was slated to handpick "top talent" for a city as diverse as New York.

The Anti-Defamation League of New York/New Jersey flagged these posts, sounding the alarm on X with a sharp critique: "Tweeting about ‘money hungry Jews’ is indefensible," they wrote, demanding explanations from both Da Costa and Mamdani himself.

Swift Resignation Amid Growing Backlash

With the heat turned up, Da Costa didn’t just apologize—she deleted her X account and stepped down faster than you can say "damage control."

She told the Judge Street Journal, "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," she added.

Mamdani Accepts Resignation, Questions Linger

Mamdani, for his part, didn’t waste time accepting her exit, stating to the Judge Street Journal, "Catherine expressed her deep remorse over her past statements and tendered her resignation, and I accepted."

But let’s not kid ourselves—saying sorry after the fact doesn’t erase the question of why someone with this baggage was picked for such a pivotal role in the first place.

After all, Da Costa wasn’t just a background player; Mamdani himself had touted her as the key to building a stellar team for his administration.

Broader Implications for City Leadership

Adding fuel to the fire, other resurfaced posts showed Da Costa taking cheap shots at the NYPD, calling them "NYPD piggies," as reported by the New York Post.

For a city already grappling with tensions over public safety, having a top appointee with a history of disparaging law enforcement is a recipe for distrust—and conservatives aren’t wrong to demand a deeper dive into how these hires are screened.

As Mamdani prepares to be sworn in as mayor in less than two weeks, this episode serves as a stark reminder that words matter, vetting matters, and New Yorkers deserve leaders who don’t need a public shaming to clean up their act.