Mamdani gives 9/11 pen to former al-Qaeda terrorist lawyer
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani faced criticism for giving a ceremonial pen from a 9/11 executive order signing to his chief counsel, who previously defended an al-Qaeda terrorist.
The controversial moment unfolded at City Hall as administration officials gathered to witness the signing of two executive orders ahead of the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, according to Gabrielle Fahmy and David Spector writing in New York Post. One order established a Day of Remembrance, while the second focused on enhanced security measures against future terrorist threats.
After completing his signature on the documents, Mamdani handed the symbolic pen to Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, quietly asking her to pass it along. Tisch then awkwardly transferred the pen to Ramzi Kassem, Mamdani’s chief counsel, who had arrived late to the press conference and was captured on video smirking as he received it. Tisch promptly exited the Blue Room, becoming the first official to leave.
Backlash From 9/11 Families
The gesture drew immediate condemnation from family members of 9/11 victims. Dennis Warchola, whose firefighter brother Michael died in the North Tower while serving with Ladder 5, called the act unacceptable. He questioned how anyone could defend someone who would harm Americans or innocent people.
Kassem, 48, is a lawyer who notably represented Ahmed al-Darbi, an al-Qaeda operative imprisoned at Guantánamo Bay. Al-Darbi was convicted of terrorism for his role in the 2002 bombing of a French oil tanker in the Middle East, part of an al Qaeda campaign targeting global oil infrastructure following the September 11 attacks. His connection to 9/11 runs deeper: his sister married Khalid al-Mihdhar, one of the hijackers who flew the plane into the Pentagon.
Political Firestorm
Council Member Joann Ariola, a Queens Republican, condemned the socialist mayor’s actions as breathtakingly tone-deaf and disrespectful. She characterized the event as merely a performance designed to generate headlines, revealing where the mayor’s true loyalties rest. She emphasized that families who lost loved ones on 9/11 deserve dignity and honor on the 25th anniversary, not further insults.
Fellow Council Member Vicki Paladino, also representing Queens Republicans, delivered even harsher criticism. She noted that Kassem claimed inspiration from 9/11 not to combat terrorism, but to defend terrorists, questioning his presence in the country and especially in government.
Kassem’s Legal Work
Beyond his representation of al-Darbi, Kassem founded a legal clinic at CUNY providing free legal services to Muslims. He also defended Mahmoud Khalil, a leader of the pro-Palestinian encampment at Columbia University who was detained by immigration authorities.
The lawyer made a conspicuous entrance at the press conference, arriving approximately 15 minutes late and departing quickly behind Commissioner Tisch immediately after receiving the pen.
Former Democratic political consultant David Sivella questioned whether the gesture was a deliberate signal to Mamdani’s Muslim base that the remembrance ceremony was merely political theater designed to appease other New Yorkers.
City Hall did not respond to requests for comment on the controversy.
With information from New York Post
