The commission suggests and vets potential judges to the Court of Appeals. Nixon\u2019s appointment runs through April 30, 2030 and the position is unpaid.<\/p>\n
![\"Cynthia](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/talks-zohran-mamdani-fundraising-party-133046064_386fd8.jpg\")
Cynthia Nixon (right) with NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani at a fundraising party hosted at the actress\u2019 own home. Instagram \/ Cynthia Nixon<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Commission\u2019s mandate is a powerful one: the Constitution requires that the Governor choose Judges of the Court of Appeals only from the nominees of the Commission,\u201d the panel\u2019s website says.<\/p>\n
Follow live updates on Mayor Zohran Mamdani\u2019s socialist agenda and the latest in NYC politics<\/a><\/p>\n But most of the other dozen members of the panel are practicing lawyers or have law degrees.<\/p>\n Legal community insiders were stunned and outraged by the appointment of the actress, who ran for governor in 2018 and endorsed Zohran Mamdani for New York City mayor<\/a> last year.<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s an actress! She\u2019s known for \u2018Sex and the City,’\u201d fumed one lawyer who was flabbergasted by the pick.<\/p>\n State Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Anthony Palumbo, a former Suffolk County prosecutor, said Nixon\u2019s appointment was only \u201creinforcing the notion that the judiciary is now completely political.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m disappointed, but not surprised that we have a radical progressive actress without a law degree selecting judges in the state of New York,\u201d said Palumbo, a Republican who reps the 1st State Senate District.<\/p>\n Saritha Komatireddy, a former prosecutor and the Republican candidate running against Democratic state Attorney General Letitia James, agreed: \u201cAppointing a celebrity activist with zero legal background to help shape the future of our judiciary sends the wrong message entirely.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis is part of a broader trend in New York: politics increasingly taking precedence over public safety and common sense,\u201d Komatireddy told The Post. <\/p>\n \u201cAt a deeply critical time when New Yorkers are demanding safer streets and greater confidence in our institutions, our leaders should be focused on restoring trust in the justice system and not turning judicial appointments into a political game.\u201d<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\tStart your day with all you need to know\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMorning Report delivers the latest news, videos, photos and more.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\tThanks for signing up!\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n Nixon\u2019s biography on the commission website says, \u201cCynthia Nixon is a native New Yorker who began acting professionally at the age of 12 and has worked as an actor and director for nearly 50 years. Over the course of her career, she has won two Primetime Emmy Awards, two Tony Awards, and a Grammy Award for her reading of Al Gore\u2019s An Inconvenient Truth.\u201d<\/p>\n While best known for playing attorney Miranda Hobbes in \u201cSex and the City,\u201d the bio noted Nixon has played roles as varied as Emily Dickinson, Eleanor Roosevelt and Nancy Reagan.<\/p>\n Over the years, she has been an advocate for public school funding<\/a> and has supported other social causes.<\/p>\n Nixon holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Barnard College.<\/p>\n![\"Nixon](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/actor-cynthia-nixon-columbia-graduate-134361594_b4b232.jpg\")
Nixon at a press conference announcing a lawsuit from Columbia student Mahmoud Khalil against the Trump administration on July 13, 2026. Stephen Yang for NY Post<\/p>\n