New York City’s mayor-elect, Zohran Mamdani, delivered a fiery victory speech denouncing the entrenched political establishment. He promised a government focused on serving all citizens, a stark contrast to what he described as years of self-serving politics within City Hall.
Just hours later, a surprising development unfolded. Mamdani announced his transition team, and it was comprised entirely of women – seasoned veterans from the administrations of Michael Bloomberg, Bill de Blasio, Eric Adams, and even the Biden White House. The appointment immediately cast a shadow over his earlier pledges.
At the heart of this team is Lina Khan, the former chair of the Federal Trade Commission. During her tenure, Khan faced intense scrutiny and accusations of pushing a politically motivated agenda. Critics alleged a deliberate effort to undermine established processes and favor a specific ideological viewpoint.
The concerns weren’t simply about policy. Accusations surfaced that Khan was actively sidelining experienced FTC staff, replacing them with individuals connected to a network of liberal-leaning nonprofits. These organizations had received substantial funding from prominent figures like George Soros and Pierre Omidyar.
Khan’s selection of Sarah Miller as a special advisor, and her subsequent promotion to chief of staff, further fueled these concerns. Miller previously led an antitrust advocacy group that had received hundreds of thousands of dollars from foundations linked to Soros and Omidyar. The connections ran deep.
The web extended to Miller’s husband, Faiz Shakir, founder of another advocacy organization also backed by the same funding networks. When Miller joined the FTC, her former group promptly appointed Shakir as its interim leader, solidifying the interconnectedness of the players.
The pattern continued with the recruitment of experts from the AI Now Institute, a nonprofit also funded by Soros, Omidyar, and Ford Foundation networks. These advisors were instrumental in shaping the FTC’s policy and messaging on artificial intelligence, blurring the lines between independent regulation and advocacy.
Even job descriptions were altered to align with the priorities of these outside groups. One advisor, previously affiliated with the Omidyar-backed Democracy Fund, had their role expanded to include “enforcement efforts” shortly after joining the commission.
Christie Wilson, the sole Republican commissioner at the FTC, publicly resigned, citing Khan’s leadership as a disregard for due process and the sidelining of career professionals. Her departure underscored the deep divisions within the agency.
Political strategists quickly pointed out the irony of Mamdani’s appointments. He had campaigned on a promise to disrupt the status quo, yet his transition team appeared to be drawn directly from the very establishment he had criticized. The question now is whether his vision for a new New York City will be compromised by these established forces.
The transition team also includes Maria Torres-Springer, a veteran of both the Bloomberg and de Blasio administrations, Melanie Hartzog, a former budget director under de Blasio, and Grace Bonilla, who served under both Bloomberg and de Blasio. Elana Leopold, another de Blasio aide, will serve as the team’s executive director.
When asked about her time at the FTC, Khan declined to comment. The appointments have sparked debate about the true direction of Mamdani’s administration and whether his promises of change will ultimately be fulfilled.
