Mayor Zohran Mamdani signed an executive order commemorating 9/11 on Friday and subsequently presented the symbolic pen to an aide with a controversial past.
The aide, who has not been publicly named in relation to this specific event, previously represented an al-Qaeda terrorist with connections to the 9/11 attacks on the Pentagon, according to reports.
Mamdani's action has reportedly drawn criticism due to the aide's prior legal representation. The executive order itself recognized the significance of September 11th.