Lack of Jewish representation on Mayor Mamdani's judicial panel prompts criticism from some N.Y. attorneys

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is responding to criticism from some New York attorneys over the lack of Jewish representation on his judicial panel.

The mayor has final say over which judges will preside over city courtrooms, but an 18-member advisory committee vets and nominates judges. Last week, Mamdani unveiled who will serve on his advisory panel.

Attorney Elizabeth Forspan, along with other Jewish legal professionals, have sent a joint letter to the mayor expressing their disappointment over the lack of Jewish representation on the committee.

"In a city with such a high population of not just Jews, but Jewish lawyers, I find it hard to believe that there was not one Jewish former lawyer or law professor or law school dean, former judge who was qualified for this position," Forspan said.

She calls it not only disappointing, but concerning.

"There is a high level of anxiety in the Jewish community in New York now, and this does not make people feel any better," she said.

Forspan noted the judges nominated by this panel will preside over hate crimes, including anti-Jewish hate crimes, which are up 2% so far this year compared to last – highlighted last week by the stabbing of a Jewish man outside a synagogue on the Upper West Side.

"Jewish New Yorkers deserve to know that their elected leaders value their safety, their voices, and their place in our city's institutions," the attorneys wrote in their letter. 

The mayor responded to the criticism Wednesday, saying that he did not ask for the religion of committee candidates.

"In my six months of being the mayor, I've had the privilege of appointing a dozen qualified judges from a range of backgrounds, including Jewish judges," he said. "I want to be clear that any suggestion that the composition of the advisory committee was motivated by religion is false."

It is unknown how many Jewish candidates may have been considered for these positions.

The letter did name one retired judge who was rejected. The mayor said his office rejected that candidate because he had previously served on Ghislaine Maxwell's legal defense team.