New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's administration is facing questions this week following reports that staff members allegedly disregarded an internal ban on using encrypted messaging applications for official business. The controversy centers on the use of Signal, an app explicitly prohibited by a January memo from Chief Counsel Ramzi Kassem, which was reportedly utilized by a team coordinating a network of nearly 200 social media "influencers."
"The conversation is not inaccessible to the public because the settings were set to auto-delete until reporters started reaching out about it." Ramzi Kassem, Chief Counsel to Mayor Mamdani
The internal directive, issued early in the year, aimed to safeguard public records and ensure government communications remained accessible for review. Kassem's memo, sent to communications staff, unequivocally stated, "You should not use WhatsApp, Signal, or any other communications app or platform for work." The guidance also provided a clear channel for questions, instructing staff to "contact the Office of the Chief Counsel" if confusion arose regarding other platforms. To further embed the policy, a dedicated training session was conducted in early March, reiterating the prohibition to employees.
Despite these measures, reporting indicates that Emilia Rowland, who directs Mamdani’s New Media and Cultural Communications office, and members of her team, continued to use Signal for work-related activities. Their efforts reportedly focused on mobilizing a substantial network of supporters, described as "influencers," to generate positive content for the mayor. This network, numbering close to 200 participants, represents a significant coordinated social media operation at the city level. The target audience for these communications was reportedly not the general public but individuals already aligned with Mamdani’s mayoral campaign.
Scrutiny surrounding the use of encrypted messaging apps in government has intensified in recent years, notably after a leak exposed a President Trump administration group chat in an incident dubbed "Signalgate." In that case, then-National Security Adviser Mike Waltz reportedly mistakenly added a journalist to a Signal thread where Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other officials were discussing potential military strikes. This prior event highlighted the potential for transparency issues when government officials use platforms designed for private, ephemeral communication.
As journalists began to inquire about Mamdani’s alleged influencer chats, the administration's stance on the policy appeared to shift. Chief Counsel Kassem, who authored the original ban, issued a new statement asserting, "There is no City policy against using Signal." This directly contradicted the clear directive he had issued months earlier. Kassem also addressed concerns about the accessibility of the chat records, stating, "The conversation is not inaccessible to the public because the settings were set to auto-delete until reporters started reaching out about it." This statement implied that the auto-delete function, which could hinder public review, was modified only after media attention intensified.
The evolving situation prompted City Council members to convene a hearing on Tuesday, intending to question Mamdani’s staff directly about the Signal communications. However, the mayor’s office limited its representation at the hearing to Tascha Van Auken, head of the mayor’s office of mass engagement, and Records Commissioner Shawnta Smith-Cruz. Neither Rowland nor any member of her team, who were central to the alleged Signal use and influencer coordination, appeared before the council to provide answers.
When reporters pressed Mayor Mamdani directly about the discrepancy between Kassem’s January memo and his later public denial of a policy, the mayor deferred to his legal counsel. "To quote the chief counsel, there are trainings and there are re-trainings, and that will continue because for us, being in accordance with the record-keeping laws of the city is of paramount importance," Mamdani stated. He concluded his response by reiterating, "I will defer to chief counsel to answer more specifically to your question."
The use of Signal’s auto-delete function raises significant concerns regarding New York’s record-keeping statutes, which are designed to ensure government communications remain available for public review and accountability. The full extent of what was discussed within the influencer network and whether those deleted messages fell under public records requirements remains an open question that the City Council has yet to resolve. As of this report, the mayor’s office has not announced any disciplinary measures against Rowland or her staff, nor has it indicated whether the Signal ban will be enforced differently moving forward or if additional training sessions are planned.
