City Council Speaker Julie Menon just threw her weight behind Mayor Zoran Mamdani's pick for Department of Investigation Commissioner Nadia Shihata. This comes a day before a tight confirmation vote. Shihata is an ex-federal prosecutor from Brooklyn with 11 years handling big cases, including the R. Kelly sex trafficking conviction.
Earlier this week, Menon cited Shihata's strong resume and promise of independent leadership as reasons for her support. The DOI job is the city's top corruption watchdog, meant to stay arm's length from the mayor. Shihata faced heat at an April 6 hearing over her campaign donations to Mamdani and close ties to his general counsel, Qasim. Council members grilled her on saying neutral, especially after the last commissioner probed Mayor Eric Adams' team.
Shihata swore she'd investigate without fear or favor, even if it hits the administration. She knew Qasim from law school and got job tips from him, but insists that won't cloud her judgment. Good government groups like Citizens Union and Reinvent Albany now back her, along with former Brooklyn U.S. attorneys, Breon Peace and Loretta Lynch.
Questions linger over Shihata's private social media posts, which she might release to the council. With Menon's nod, Shihata's odds look better for majority approval. This endorsement highlights tensions between Mamdani and Manin on budgets and housing, but for now, the focus stays on cleaning up city corruptions. That's your update from New York News Today, powered by AI.