This is egregious. In fact, it may just be downright treasonous.
Because a prominent Democrat recruited a terrorist sympathizer to join their administration.
Controversial Pick for Top Legal Role
Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is considering a highly contentious attorney—known for representing an al Qaeda terrorist and a prominent anti-Israel activist from Columbia University—for a senior position in City Hall, sources have revealed.
Ramzi Kassem, a 47-year-old law professor at the City University of New York and a participant in Mamdani’s legal affairs transition team, emerges as the frontrunner for Chief Counsel, the pivotal advisory post in the mayor’s office, per insiders familiar with the process.
Kassem previously represented Mahmoud Khalil, the Syrian-born figurehead of pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia, who faced ICE detention and potential deportation before a judicial release after 104 days.
Beyond that, Kassem was involved in defending Ahmed al-Darbi, an admitted al Qaeda operative convicted in 2017 for the 2002 attack on the French oil tanker Limburg off Yemen’s coast.
“Kassem’s appointment to corp counsel wouldn’t sit well with the Jewish community,” stated Ken Frydman, who’s a Democratic political operative.
“Everyone’s entitled to legal representation…even Mahmoud Khalil. But that doesn’t mean Ramzi Kassem had to represent him,” he said to the New York Post.
Syrian-born Kassem also took part in anti-Israel activities during his time at Columbia Law School, which he attended via a fellowship supported by Soros family-linked activists, according to records.
In 1999, he wrote a letter to the editor of the Columbia Spectator newspaper criticizing the naming of a sandwich as an “Israeli wrap” because it was offensive to Muslims and Arabs, he said.
In other columns for the newspaper, he wrote that Israel’s behavior amounted to “a clear case of ethnic cleansing,” and in another article in 1998 he wrote that Jews had come to the Middle East “with the intention of conquering the land.” A two-state solution between Israel and Palestine “is not viable, nor is it desirable,” he claimed.
Alternative Views and Background Ties
Some observers view Kassem differently, suggesting his experience could benefit the position.
“It is past time that Corp Counsel’s office be given an upgrade and refresh. I have no giant objection to the way Corp Counsel has been functioning but so many people at the top have just been there for too long,” said lawyer Ron Kuby.
In 2009, Kassem established a CUNY legal clinic providing pro bono services to Muslim and other New York communities. The organization, Creating Law Enforcement Accountability and Responsibility (CLEAR), has secured over $3 million from George Soros’ Open Society Foundations, plus at least $1 million from MacKenzie Scott, ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, based on public disclosures.
The Biden administration appointed Kassem as a senior immigration policy advisor in 2022.
Additional Concerns
Kassem is not the sole polarizing figure in contention. Earlier reports highlighted “social justice attorney” Steven Banks on the shortlist, sparking internal fears of injecting excessive activism into the role overseeing legal matters for all city agencies.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations, the nation’s primary Muslim advocacy organization—recently labeled a foreign terrorist group by both Texas and Florida—presented Kassem with an award in September for his representation of Khalil.
Mamdani’s selection process continues to draw scrutiny amid questions over alignment with mainstream New York priorities.
