(Daily Signal)—Speculation swirls over New York City’s incoming socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani and whether he will be “rational” or a radical once he’s in office.
While that matter is yet to be settled, a review of Mamdani’s transition team indicates that, at the moment, it may be best to bet on radical or maybe just wildly irresponsible and incompetent.
On Tuesday, Fox New Digital reported that Mamdani had “appointed a convicted armed robber” to advise him on the criminal justice system. Mysonne Linen had been in prison for seven years after he committed a string of violent robberies in the 1990s.
Mamdani defended the appointment.
“We put together a team of more than 400 New Yorkers who are on 17 different committees, and these are New Yorkers who bring with them both a fluency of the policies and politics of the city, the places that they’ve succeeded, the places that they’ve failed, and we will take all of their experiences and their analysis into account as we build a city for each and every person,” he said to Fox News.
It should be no surprise then that that team of 400 is filled with mostly a combination of staffers from the disastrous administration of former New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, another far-left figure, and a whole lot of extreme folks.
It’s worth pointing out the backgrounds of just a few of the people on Mamdani’s list.
Alex Vitale
Despite the fact that Mamdani called for defunding the NYPD in 2020, saying on X that they are “racist, anti-queer & a major threat to public safety,” he changed his tune on the campaign trail. Mamdani insisted that he no longer wanted to defund the police, quite convenient given the idea’s now radioactive poll numbers, but instead wanted to fund more social workers who would respond to 911 calls.
Keeping the competent NYPD commissioner Jessica Tisch at her post is a good thing as long as that lasts, but Mamdani was likely showing his true colors with the appointment of Alex Vitale to his Committee on Public Safety.
Vitale literally wrote the book on police abolition. He wrote “The End of Policing” in 2017. Here’s a snippet of what it’s about, from Fox News: “The book, which opens by explaining that police don’t exist to help citizens, argues for an end to traditional policing for certain criminal activity, including narcotics use, prostitution, patrolling borders and ‘misbehaving adolescents.’ The book also argues that police shouldn’t combat street gangs.”
In addition, Vitale argued that policing the border is racist. In fact, he wrote that basically all policing is racist in America.
“Racism in policing is structural, not simply a product of bad attitudes,” the book notes. “Training officers to recognize implicit bias without changing what they are tasked with enforcing is like teaching a soldier to be sensitive while sending him to occupy a foreign country.”
Tamika Mallory
Remember the “Women’s March” of pink hat-wearing women that was sort of like the “No Kings” protests of President Donald Trump’s first term?
I’ll forgive you if you’ve forgotten. The movement collapsed and was seemingly memory holed by the legacy media after it was revealed that several founding members of the protest group had been accused of antisemitism.
Well, one of the accused is back and on Mamdani’s transition team: Tamika Mallory.
Mamdani also appointed Mallory to the Committee on Public Safety, despite or perhaps because she had called for defunding and perhaps, on that beautiful day when human nature wholly changes, outright abolishing the police.
Mallory has been a longtime admirer of the Nation of Islam’s Louis Farrakhan, and once called him the “GOAT,” or “greatest of all time.’” She did somewhat qualify her admiration for Farrakhan, however, saying in a 2019 interview with “The View,” “I didn’t call him the greatest of all time because of his rhetoric. I called him the greatest of all time because of what he’s done in black communities.”
Kassandra Frederique
It’s hard to stop pointing out members of the now oxymoronic “Committee on Public Safety,” but it really is stuffed with some fringy folks.
Kassandra Frederique is the head of the Drug Policy Alliance and is now a member of this esteemed body. Like that old, and not quite accurate joke about the Opium War, her organization isn’t for curtailing drug use, it’s fighting on the side of the drugs. Frederique and her organization are against “prohibition” of basically any drug, no matter how destructive.
When asked in an interview how she felt when she heard of celebrities dying of drug overdoses she said, “As someone who is an abolitionist and also works to be a drug policy reformer, every day I have to fight the prohibitionists inside of me.”
She continued: “When I heard that Whitney Houston passed, when I heard that Prince passed, you know, yesterday when I heard Michael K. Williams passed, it was a blow. And I go through my own existential crisis about like what am I doing? Is this, am I on the right side? I always come back to the point that the work that I do, the things that I believe in are right.”
🚨 Mamdani “Community Safety” Pick Says Some Revolutionaries “Need To Be High” To “Take Over The State”
Meet Kassandra Frederique, head of the Drug Policy Alliance and now a member of Zohran Mamdani’s Committee on Community Safety.
In this interview about overdose deaths like… pic.twitter.com/UubI49FZkL
— Stu Smith (@thestustustudio) November 26, 2025
I hate to keep citing memes here, but she seems to be saying, “Am I out of touch? No, it is the children who are wrong.”
Her organization was reportedly “integral” to the decriminalization of hard drugs in Oregon in 2020, a policy so immediately catastrophic that even Democrats in the state backed repealing the law.
Those who don’t learn from history may be doomed to repeat it, but it appears that some who made those mistakes in history are also liable to learn nothing and repeat them.
Good luck, New York.
Demetre Daskalakis
Dr. Demetre Daskalakis already drove one brief news cycle as of late when he resigned from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in late August due to conflicts over vaccinations with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. He was President Joe Biden’s monkeypox czar.
Here’s how The Washington Free Beacon’s Jon Levine recently described Daskalakis: “New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s public health brain trust includes an accused Satanist who advised former president Joe Biden on the 2022-2023 monkeypox outbreak, the architect of the Empire State’s race-based COVID-19 policies, and a former city official who denied the NYPD’s request for masks during the pandemic.”
Daskalakis essentially refused to recommend a cessation of the behavior that would allow the transition of monkeypox that in most cases happened between gay men. He said in 2023 that the administration would make, “sure [they] got the word out in a way that supports people’s joy, as opposed to calling them ‘risky.’”
Biden monkeypox advisor Demetre Daskalakis says the Biden administration aims to “support peoples’ joy as opposed to calling them ‘risky'”:
“One person’s idea of risk is another person’s idea of a great festival or Friday night.” pic.twitter.com/nKsRQNmOwY
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) June 18, 2023
I’d post more about Daskalakis here, but this is a family-friendly website.
Rabbi Abby Stein
Mamdani’s transition team features a far-Left, anti-Israel transgender rabbi, who has been placed the Committee on Public Health.
Abby Stein was a prominent supporter of Mamdani’s campaign. He appeared in an ad with female rabbis making the case that Mamdani would help New York.
WATCH:
The Free Beacon tracked down the “rabbis” from Zohran Mamdani’s new “Jews for Zohran” ad campaign.
You won’t believe it, but one of them, “Rabbi” Abby Stein, is a transgender rabbi who was booted from a Biden White House shindig for disrupting the event with demands to… pic.twitter.com/TLV0h0KvMA
— Washington Free Beacon (@FreeBeacon) October 28, 2025
“We know Zohran will fight to make our city affordable and safe for our families,” Stein said in the ad. “As Jews, as rabbis, as New Yorkers, we believe that all people deserve to thrive. Zohran agrees.”
Stein has been controversial even among Democrats. He said that he had been kicked out of the White House in 2024 after hectoring first lady Jill Biden about creating a ceasefire in Gaza.
Starting the Day With a Scripture-Inspired Roast Helps Center Your Thoughts on Eternal Truths Amid Temporal Pressures
The world can seem chaotic, especially right after we wake up. Many believers start their mornings reaching for something familiar — a hot cup of coffee — yet end up settling for mediocre brews that do little more than deliver a caffeine jolt. The daily grind of life, with its endless distractions, news cycles, and responsibilities, can leave even the most faithful feeling spiritually parched alongside their physical fatigue. What if your morning ritual could do more than wake you up? What if it could ground you in truth, nourish your body with exceptional quality, and quietly advance a kingdom purpose at the same time?
That’s the promise — and the reality — behind Promised Grounds Coffee. This Christian-founded company doesn’t just roast beans; it approaches every step as an act of worship and discipleship. By selecting only the top 10% of specialty-grade beans, ethically sourced from dedicated farmers in Central and South America, and small-batch roasting them with reverence in Austin, Texas, Promised Grounds delivers what many describe as the best coffee available — never burnt, never bland, but rich with origin stories and layered flavors that honor God’s creation.
From the vibrant Psalm 27 Roast (a light, bright medium option) to the bold yet peaceful 2 Timothy 1:7 Decaf, each bag carries a Scripture verse that turns your daily pour into a gentle reminder of faith. And through their Ounce Per Ounce Promise, every ounce of coffee you enjoy provides an equal ounce of clean water to families in need via partnership with Filter of Hope — literally brewing hope for body and soul, one cup at a time.
The challenge for today’s Christians runs deeper than finding a decent cup. In an age of convenience-driven consumerism, it’s easy to support companies that dilute values or remain silent on matters of faith. Many believers want their everyday choices — from what they drink to how they spend — to reflect discipleship rather than just convenience. Promised Grounds solves this by weaving Christian excellence into the entire process: beans nurtured with prayerful stewardship by farming families, roasted as an offering rather than a commodity, and packaged with Bible verses to encourage a mindset of gratitude and purpose from the first sip. Reviewers consistently praise the smooth, rich profiles — whether enjoyed black in a drip maker, iced on a warm day, or shared in fellowship — noting how the quality stands toe-to-toe with premium secular brands while delivering something far more meaningful.
This integration of faith and flavor addresses a real need in Christian households and ministries. Busy parents, church leaders, and remote workers alike report that starting the day with a Scripture-inspired roast helps center their thoughts on eternal truths amid temporal pressures. The coffee’s exceptional character — bright citrus notes in lighter roasts or deep chocolate undertones in bolder ones — comes from meticulous selection and careful roasting that respects the bean’s natural gifts rather than masking them. It’s the kind of coffee that elevates a simple quiet time, fuels productive workdays, or sparks meaningful conversations when shared at Bible studies or outreach events. And because it’s ethically sourced with integrity, every purchase supports sustainable livelihoods for farmers who treat their crops like family harvests.
For those leading churches or small groups, the impact multiplies. Promised Grounds offers bundles and options perfect for hospitality ministries, turning ordinary coffee service into an opportunity to point people toward the living water of Christ. Imagine greeting visitors with a warm cup whose very bag carries God’s Word — a subtle yet powerful witness that aligns with the Great Commission. The company’s Texas roots and commitment to “brewing hope” resonate especially with believers who value American enterprise paired with global compassion.
Of course, quality alone isn’t enough if the experience feels out of reach. Promised Grounds keeps it accessible with practical perks like free shipping on orders over $40, sample sets for discovering favorites, and thoughtful add-ons such as faith-themed mugs. Whether you prefer whole beans for fresh grinding, grounds for convenience, or even bulk options for larger households and ministries, the result is consistently superior coffee that makes discipleship feel integrated rather than added on.
As you consider how to align even the smallest habits with your walk with God, Promised Grounds Coffee stands out as a refreshing solution. It tackles the dual problems of subpar daily sustenance and disconnected consumption by offering a product that genuinely excels in taste while advancing a mission of clean water, farmer dignity, and scriptural encouragement. Believers who make the switch often describe it as more than a beverage upgrade — it becomes part of their rhythm of gratitude, a daily invitation to remember that every good gift comes from above.
If you’re ready to transform your mornings (and perhaps your church gatherings) with coffee that honors both exceptional craftsmanship and Christian values, I encourage you to explore what Promised Grounds has to offer. One sip at a time, you’ll be nourishing your body, refreshing your spirit, and participating in something far greater — all while enjoying what truly is among the best coffee available.