Democrat Power Struggle Ensues Over New FDNY Chief Before Mamdani Takes Over, and Musk Has Warning

The troubles just keep piling up for New York City's self-described Democratic Socialist Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani even before he gets sworn in and moves into Gracie Mansion in the new year.

 The latest issue involves the person he just tapped to lead the city's Fire Department (FDNY), a woman with no fire department experience, something that swiftly went viral on social media over Christmas because of what is being emphasized about the new fire chief instead: [emphasis added] 

...Mamdani is set to take office in January and has appointed Lillian Bonsignore,

 

a veteran emergency medical services leader, to lead the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY).

Bonsignore, who came out of retirement to accept the post, is making history as New York’s first openly gay fire commissioner and the second woman to lead the department, according to Fox 5.

...

She ran the city’s emergency operations for years, first as chief of the EMS Academy at Fort Totten in 2016, and then as chief of EMS Operations from 2019-2020, ABC 7 reported.

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READ MORE: Trouble in Lefty Paradise? Recent Mamdani Moves Might Already Be Giving His Radical Base Buyer's Remorse

Watch: The Only Rep Born in Cuba Has a Powerful Warning About 'Marxists' Like Mamdani Holding Power in US

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Mamdani previewed his pick in a statement on Dec. 23, as The Hill story linked above noted: 

“Bonsignore’s calm, decisive leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic – when EMS professionals were more vital than ever – is exactly the kind of leadership our city needs in moments of uncertainty."

This choice has him in something of a pickle, though, as a Democrat power struggle ensues between Mamdani and outgoing Mayor Eric Adams, over the seemingly woke personnel choice. Adams appointed 63-year old Mark Guerra, a 37-year FDNY veteran, in a sly move ahead of Mamdani's announcement:

“Activities that take place in the police department and all of our public safety apparatus don’t go on holiday,” Adams said, according to ABC 7. 

You might say Mamdani was not amused:

“Lillian’s light is one that can’t be dimmed by anything else that takes place,” Mamdani said, as reported by Fox 5. “The mayor is free to continue to be the mayor until the end of this year and make decisions as such.”

As my colleague Becky Noble wrote earlier on Saturday, Mamdani is symbolic of the hypocrisy of the Democrat Party's message in the recent off-year elections of affordability; the far-leftist rising star recently offered up his former apartment for rent at a new highly inflated monthly rate.

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SEE: Want to Live in Zohran Mamdani's Apt. After He Moves Into Mayor's Mansion? It Will Reportedly Cost You.

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Back to the FDNY gig. Tesla and X founder Elon Musk also took to his account on X with a dire warning on what this move by future Hizzoner Mamdani could herald, writing in a quote-tweet that "people will die" over this potentially DEI move:

"People will die because of this. Proven experience matters when lives are at stake."

Exactly right. Now I am as much of an optimist as anyone with 2026 on our doorstep a few days from now, but I can't muster up any sympathy for Mamdani—or those who placed him into office—over how much damage his wrongheaded socialist policies are about to do to the formerly magnificent Big Apple.