Nadia Shihata, the mayor\u2019s pick to lead the Department of Investigation, faced a grilling from councilmembers on her past support for Mayor Mamdani\u2019s campaign on Monday as part of her confirmation process before the Council.<\/p>\n
Councilmembers questioned Shihata on hundreds she forked over to the Mamdani campaign last year, a night she spent canvassing for the campaign and her loose friendship with the mayor\u2019s chief counsel, Ramzi Kassem.<\/p>\n
\u201cEspecially in these positions, we\u2019re always looking for independent individuals that don\u2019t necessarily have predetermined relationships with the mayor,\u201d Deputy Speaker Nantasha Williams said. \u201cSo would you say that this is evidence that you have a pre existing bias for the mayor?<\/p>\n
\u201cAbsolutely not. I think anyone who knows me or who has worked with me knows my level of professionalism and integrity over my 20 year career, and that I will approach every investigation, including any that may involve the mayor or any senior officials in his administration, I will approach that as I would approach any investigation, looking at the facts and the law and following those with independence and objectivity.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shihata worked for 11 years as a federal prosecutor for the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, where she served as deputy chief of the public integrity section \u2014 a role similar to that of DOI commissioner.<\/p>\n
Shihata was nominated in February to be commissioner for the agency, which is tasked with rooting out corruption in city government.<\/p>\n