{"id":21623,"date":"2026-04-20T21:01:54","date_gmt":"2026-04-20T21:01:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/former-aide-suing-eric-adams-joins-mamdani-administration\/"},"modified":"2026-04-20T21:01:54","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T21:01:54","slug":"former-aide-suing-eric-adams-joins-mamdani-administration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/former-aide-suing-eric-adams-joins-mamdani-administration\/","title":{"rendered":"Former aide suing Eric Adams joins Mamdani administration"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Hassan<\/p>\n

DAYS THE BUDGET IS LATE: 20<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

BACK AT CITY HALL: <\/b>Hassan Naveed, who was fired as New York City\u2019s hate crimes prevention chief in 2024, is back in the municipal ranks \u2014 even as he continues to sue the city and the former mayor over allegations that his termination stemmed from religious-based discrimination.<\/p>\n

As of this morning, Naveed is the new chief of staff to Deputy Mayor for Community Safety Renita Francois. That makes him the first high-profile addition to Francois\u2019 team since Mayor Zohran Mamdani tapped her in March for the newly-created post, which comes with oversight of Mamdani\u2019s signature Office of Community Safety<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Naveed, who also served on Mamdani\u2019s transition team, declined to comment on his new gig.<\/p>\n

But Naveed\u2019s lawyer, Luna Droubi, confirmed to Playbook today that her client is continuing to pursue his lawsuit against former Mayor Eric Adams, the Mayor\u2019s Office of Criminal Justice and two employees in that unit over allegations that Naveed was terminated<\/a> as the city\u2019s executive director of hate crimes prevention in April 2024 because of his Muslim faith.<\/p>\n

So far, the city Law Department has represented Adams, the Mayor\u2019s Office of Criminal Justice and the two employees against Naveed\u2019s suit. At least one of the two named employees remains in city government, records show.<\/p>\n

Naveed\u2019s return to City Hall creates a potentially messy dynamic, in which he\u2019s now working for the same government \u2014 and alongside at least one of the same government officials \u2014 he\u2019s continuing to sue. The awkward situation is arguably heightened by the fact that Mamdani\u2019s Law Department is continuing to provide Adams and the other defendants with taxpayer-funded legal representation as they continue to contest Naveed\u2019s claims.<\/p>\n

A spokesperson for Mamdani confirmed this afternoon that Naveed is back in city government, but said Naveed will need to recuse himself from any matters related to issues raised in his lawsuit. The spokesperson also said the Law Department is in the process of reviewing whether Naveed\u2019s case can be resolved and if Adams and the other defendants are entitled to taxpayer-funded representation.<\/p>\n

\u201cHassan Naveed brings deep experience across the core issues at the heart of the Office of Community Safety\u2019s work,\u201d the spokesperson, Sam Raskin, said. \u201cThat experience will be essential as we build a more coordinated, whole-of-government approach to public safety and mental health that ensures our systems respond to New Yorkers’ needs with urgency and dignity.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since Mamdani took office, the Law Department has already moved to strip Adams of taxpayer-funded legal representation against a civil lawsuit accusing him of sexually assaulting a transit police colleague in 1993. Adams has denied wrongdoing in the assault case as well as in Naveed\u2019s lawsuit.<\/p>\n

There does not appear to be any city laws barring Naveed from continuing his suit against Adams while in city service.<\/p>\n

While declining to comment on Naveed\u2019s specific case due to confidentiality protocols, Carolyn Miller, executive director of the city Conflicts of Interest Board, said public servants are generally only prohibited from acting as \u201can attorney or counsel against the interests of the city in any litigation to which the city is a party.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a general matter, a public servant is not prohibited from seeking redress against the city for wrongs allegedly caused by the city,\u201d said Miller. \u201cFor example, if I believe that I have been the victim of a wrongful arrest by an NYPD officer or medical malpractice by a Health + Hospitals physician, the conflicts of interest law does not prohibit me from pursuing those claims.\u201d<\/p>\n

Todd Shapiro, a spokesperson for Adams, said the former mayor \u201cdoes not comment on pending litigation.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat said, throughout his tenure, Mayor Adams maintained a strong and consistent record of standing up for religious freedom and protecting all communities from hate and discrimination,\u201d Shapiro said. \u201cHis administration made historic investments in hate crime prevention and worked closely with diverse faith-based communities across New York City to ensure every New Yorker felt safe and respected.\u201d<\/p>\n

Naveed\u2019s religious-based discrimination suit, which was filed in October 2025<\/a> and asks for monetary damages, alleges he was \u201csingled out\u201d for discrimination by Adams and members of his staff after Hamas militants killed some 1,200 people and took hundreds more hostage during the Oct. 7, 2023 terror attack in Israel.<\/p>\n

For instance, the suit charges that Naveed confronted Adams in mid-October 2023 about social media posts from some of the then-mayor\u2019s staffers that Naveed considered \u201canti-Muslim, anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian.\u201d According to the suit, Adams dismissed Naveed\u2019s concerns and told him that Muslims in New York City were experiencing hate because they had failed to adequately condemn Hamas after the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks, which prompted Israel to launch a war in Gaza that has killed more than 70,000 Palestinians.<\/p>\n

Adams also told Naveed that pro-Palestinian demonstrations playing out in the city at the time were akin to \u201cKlu [sic] Klux Klan protests,\u201d according to the suit.<\/p>\n

Naveed\u2019s suit says he was ultimately fired as a result of the alleged anti-Muslim sentiment inside Adams\u2019 administration. Adams spokesperson Kayla Mamelak denied that last year and said Naveed was terminated for \u201cpoor job performance.\u201d<\/p>\n

A former Adams administration official, granted anonymity for fear of legal retaliation, said Mamdani is making a poor hire because Naveed \u201cwas bad at his last job.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe completely ignored segments of the city and he never reached out to anyone,\u201d the former official said. \u2014 Chris Sommerfeldt<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

From the Capitol<\/h3>\n

\"New<\/p>\n

GOP BACKS BLAKEMAN BUCKS: <\/b>Republicans in the state Legislature have introduced a bill that would force New York to let GOP gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman access $3.5 million in public campaign matching funds.<\/p>\n

Blakeman was booted from the program after a partisan vote by the Public Campaign Finance Board last month for failing to fill out a nonexistent form identifying his running mate. The new measure from Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt and Assembly Minority Leader Ed Ra, announced Monday, would give their fellow Republican additional time to rectify any paperwork infirmities.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy [Democratic] colleagues say they are for free and fair elections. They can take the bill; they can take it from me. I\u2019d remove my name from it, and I\u2019d be happy to vote for it,\u201d Ortt said. \u201cIf they don\u2019t do it, when they talk about free and fair elections, they are full of shit.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more from Bill Mahoney in Blue Light News Pro<\/i><\/b><\/a>.\u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

BUDGET CRAWL<\/b>: The state’s tax-and-spend plan is yet to be resolved as New York lawmakers Monday approved their fifth stopgap measure since the budget was due nearly three weeks ago.<\/p>\n

Gov. Kathy Hochul in Buffalo earlier in the day reiterated to reporters she is seeking changes to car insurance laws that have become a key sticking point in the talks. And the governor restated her desire to reach a deal on a package of protections for undocumented immigrants, which may be included in a final budget deal.<\/p>\n

Read more from Blue Light News Pro\u2019s Nick Reisman.<\/i><\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

FROM CITY HALL<\/h3>\n

\"Tenant<\/p>\n

BAILOUT FROM ALBANY?: <\/b>Mamdani\u2019s tenant protection czar Cea Weaver urged attendees at a housing panel today to turn their attention to the now weeks-late state budget.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would really encourage everybody \u2014 anyone who has Kathy Hochul\u2019s phone number \u2014 feel free to call her and ask her to give us some more money. That would be great,\u201d Weaver, formerly a prominent tenant activist, said to some chuckles. \u201cOr the president, for that matter\u201d<\/p>\n

Weaver, head of the mayor\u2019s Office to Protect Tenants, and housing commissioner Dina Levy joined the non-profit Urban Homesteading Assistance Board for a conference exploring \u201csocial housing,\u201d a broad term for efforts to insulate housing from private market forces by keeping units permanently affordable and community-controlled. UHAB organized the conference with the Parsons School of Design.<\/p>\n

Weaver laid out the city\u2019s fiscal strain in frank terms, as Mamdani has sought to do in recent months.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe’re not making it up when we say there’s no money for X, Y, Z thing,\u201d Weaver said. \u201cThe budget problems that our city is facing are extraordinarily real \u2026 That is scary, and it means that we’re going to have less flexibility to do the things that we all really want to do. But the state budget is not over yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

She continued, \u201cSo anything that we can do to join together in a fight for more resources from Albany is going to be really important to being able to achieve the things that we want to achieve.\u201d \u2014 Janaki Chadha<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL<\/h3>\n

\"There<\/p>\n

AND THEN THERE WAS ONE: <\/b>The Democratic field to take on Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis<\/a> appears to have narrowed to one, after union electrician Allison Ziogas filed a certificate of declination with the city Board of Elections on Monday morning.<\/p>\n

Ziogas\u2019 apparent decision to drop out leaves Mike DeCillis, a former NYPD officer, as the only Democratic challenger for what\u2019s certain to be an uphill battle in a district that President Donald Trump won by 24 points in 2024.<\/p>\n

The New York Times reported<\/a> that Ziogas, who appeared to be the early frontrunner in the primary, was ending her bid because of unspecified health issues. DeCillis wrote on social media<\/a> that he is \u201csorry to hear about her health issues and we wish her the best.\u201d<\/p>\n

Democrats unsuccessfully tried to redraw the seat, which covers all of Staten Island and part of Brooklyn, to make it more competitive, but that effort was blocked by the Supreme Court<\/a>. However, some still saw opportunity there<\/a>, given recent Democratic overperformances across the country and Trump\u2019s unpopular policies. Republicans are adamant that the seat is not in play \u2014 and Ziogas dropping out is likely to put a damper on Democrats\u2019 optimism.<\/p>\n

Ziogas, who entered the race in March with the help of Morris Katz<\/a>, a key Mamdani strategist, quickly received an endorsement from the Staten Island Democratic Party. After she declared her candidacy, the first Democrat to enter the race, educator Troy McGhie, dropped his bid<\/a> and endorsed her. Ziogas outraised DeCillis $85,000 to $32,000 in the first quarter \u2014 both paltry hauls compared to Malliotakis\u2019 $580,000 raised.<\/p>\n

Ziogas\u2019 campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n

Read more from Madison Fernandez and Chris Sommerfeldt in Blue Light News Pro<\/i><\/b><\/a>.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

IN OTHER NEWS<\/h3>\n

\u2014 SUDDENLY SOCIALIST:<\/b> An ex-cop Assembly candidate who for years led a group that bashed socialists and boosted the GOP now praises Mamdani and lauds the DSA. (New York Post<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\u2014 UNDER DOG?:<\/b> Internal polls from democratic primary candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier show incumbent Democrat Rep. Adriano Espaillat is leading by 42% in New York\u2019s 13th congressional district with the DSA challenger trailing by 28%. (THE CITY<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\u2014 RETURN POLICY:<\/b> Hochul wants the Trump administration to refund an estimated $13.5 billion in tariff payments to New Yorkers, as Monday marks the first day for importers to claim refunds following a Supreme Court ruling that struck down the import tax. (NY 1<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\u2014 CUOMO CLEARED:<\/b> The U.S. Supreme court declined to take up a lawsuit from relatives of nursing home patients who died of Covid-19. (Times Union<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Missed this morning\u2019s New York Playbook? We forgive you. <\/b>Read it here<\/i><\/a>.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

DAYS THE BUDGET IS LATE: 20 BACK AT CITY HALL: Hassan Naveed, who was fired as New York City\u2019s hate crimes prevention chief in 2024, is back in the municipal ranks \u2014 even as he continues to sue the city and the former mayor over allegations that his termination stemmed from religious-based discrimination. As of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":21624,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21623","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politics"],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21623","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21623"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21623\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21624"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21623"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21623"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bluelightnews.com\/category\/politics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21623"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}