Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jul 13
Mamdani Keeps 27-Year-Old Adviser Morris Katz as Democrats Push Blacklist Over Platner Scandal
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jul 13

Mamdani Keeps 27-Year-Old Adviser Morris Katz as Democrats Push Blacklist Over Platner Scandal

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 13

Summary

  • Zohran Mamdani said Monday he will keep Morris Katz as a top adviser, rejecting pressure to cut ties after Katz’s role in Graham Platner’s collapsed Maine Senate campaign.
  • Katz is under fire for helping elevate Platner before the candidate withdrew over a rape accusation he denied, along with scrutiny over deleted Reddit posts, a Nazi-linked tattoo and alleged mistreatment of women.
  • Just over $6,000 was spent on a three-day vetting review that sources said ignored internal requests to dig deeper, despite checks that typically take weeks and cost tens of thousands of dollars.
  • Democratic critics, including a Democratic Socialists of America letter, are urging allies to blacklist Katz, while reports also cite his threat to a former Platner staffer and renewed backlash over a 2020 puberty book.

Insights

Why would a major city mayor risk his reputation by standing by a disgraced political advisor?
When a campaign's vetting fails this badly, how can voters ever trust the candidate selection process again?