Controversy Surrounds Mayor-Elect’s Advisory Appointments

The widow of a taxi driver who was robbed nearly three decades ago expressed her outrage over a recent decision by Mayor-elect Zoran Mamdani. This decision involved appointing Mysonne Linen, a former inmate and activist with ties to the robbery, to the mayor’s transition committee focused on criminal justice.

In her frustration, a Bronx woman, who wished to remain anonymous, remarked, “Aren’t you an idiot?” upon hearing the news that Linen was nominated. Her late husband, Joseph Ejiri, had passed away last year, but she recalled the lasting impact of that night in 1997 when he was attacked.

“It’s wrong,” she stated. “Are you really putting someone who committed such crimes in a position to advise?” She seemed genuinely perplexed. “Why give him such a role at all?”

Linen, now 49, was one of 400 New Yorkers appointed to the 20-member Criminal Justice Committee, which is part of the transition team for the Democratic Socialist congressman from Queens. Reports indicate that Linen spent several years in prison because of his involvement in a brutal armed robbery ring.

The Bronx prosecutors detailed that Linen’s crew conducted the robbery against Ejiri on June 8, 1997, as well as another armed robbery involving a fellow taxi driver in 1998. Although Ejiri died of a heart attack, his widow shared that he never fully overcame the trauma from that experience.

“I remember him calling me that night,” she reflected. “He said the guy who picked him up took his money and then threatened him with a knife…”

When asked about how her husband would feel about Linen’s new position, she confidently replied, “He wouldn’t be happy about it. He’d protest.”

Moreover, she suggested that rather than advising the mayor on crime, perhaps Linen should focus on mentoring others to avoid criminal behavior. “It’s none of his business, honestly,” she emphasized.

Mamdani, who will officially take office next month, defended Linen’s appointment by highlighting the diverse perspectives of the 400 members on his transition committees. “We’re considering all their experiences as we work to shape our city,” he stated in a Manhattan press conference.

Despite the controversy, Linen has maintained his denial of involvement in the robbery and has since repositioned himself as a community advocate. He has also worked on initiatives aimed at teaching skills to inmates on Rikers Island.

The concerns raised about Linen are just part of a broader range of controversial figures within Mamdani’s transition team.