Exclusive | Zohran Mamdani icing out Bill de Blasio amid cheating scandal — as CNN axes ex-NYC mayor: ‘He’s dying for attention’
Zohran Mamdani, the newly elected New York City mayor, has effectively put former Mayor Bill de Blasio on the sidelines after a series of personal scandals came to light. CNN likewise chose not to renew his contract, The Post reports.
The transition team grew wary of de Blasio as his chaotic love life exploded in the press while he became increasingly unresponsive. Despite being edged out, the ex‑mayor showed no signs of backing down. He flew to Mexico with his new partner, Roxanna Valenzuela, the mayor of South Tucson, Arizona, according to insiders.
“He’s dying for attention,” one source remarked after de Blasio staged a public meeting with Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch and incoming City Council Speaker Julie Menin. The aim, it appears, was to tell Mamdani’s team that the tabloid headlines didn’t diminish his influence over former staff.
At age 64, de Blasio’s popularity began to wane when The Post exposed that he had cheated on 41‑year‑old political strategist Nomiki Konst—who had been a vocal supporter of Mamdani’s campaign. He missed scheduled meetings and stopped answering calls, frustrating the transition team.
The team also grew impatient when de Blasio promised that he would use his clout to secure roles for former members of his office in the new administration. He had been arranging back‑room introductions for ex‑officials to land jobs in City Hall or allied agencies.
Mamdani, 34, eventually brought several of de Blasio’s former aides into his own circle. One of the most notable appointments was Dean Fuleihan—de Blasio’s former budget director and top deputy—as first deputy mayor.
De Blasio had previously served as a CNN pundit covering the mayoral race and the transition. The network decided not to renew his contract recently.
Beyond his media work, the former mayor had played a key role in a shadow campaign to block ex‑Governor Andrew Cuomo from mounting a political comeback, a move that reportedly earned him a seat at the table as the new administration grew.
Insiders say de Blasio is not the only one receiving the cold shoulder. In the month since Mamdani took office, no major appointments have been announced.
Neither Mamdani’s spokesperson nor de Blasio has responded to requests for comment.
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