New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he will continue working with the adviser behind Graham Platner despite the slew of scandals facing the former Maine Democratic Senate candidate.
Democratic strategist Morris Katz worked on both Platner’s unsuccessful Senate campaign and Mamdani’s successful mayoral bid.
“I will continue to work with Morris Katz,” Mamdani said on Monday in response to a reporter’s question. “He remains a top adviser of mine.”
Katz was one of the people who helped draft the three-part plan that got Mamdani elected last fall. The plan focused on three proposals: a citywide rent freeze for four years, free public transit, and free childcare. Mamdani has so far delivered on two of the three proposals, with the exception of free buses, during his first year in office.
The key political consultant behind Mamdani’s rise also helped Platner’s campaign, which was eventually beset by numerous sexual assault and rape allegations. The candidate also faced backlash for sporting a chest tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol, though he said the tattoo has been covered up since he got it.
Platner was forced to drop out of the race against Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) due to insurmountable scrutiny stemming from his past, though he denied the allegation of sexual assault. Adhering to a deadline on Monday, he suspended his campaign last week after winning the Democratic primary in early June.
Mamdani was one of the Democrats who called on Platner to drop out of the race. The mayor never endorsed Platner, though Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and other mutual allies of theirs did support him. However, even Sanders felt the up-and-rising Democrat needed to quit.
Katz advised Platner to drop out of the general election before the controversies could worsen for him.
“As soon as the team became aware of the rape allegations against Graham Platner we advised he suspend his candidacy, and in the following days worked to wind down the campaign,” he said last Thursday. “Like so many of his supporters, I’m deeply disappointed.”
Katz once said that he thought Platner could “help save the Democratic Party” before the sexual scandal broke. After a previous report came out about Platner’s treatment of women, Katz reportedly threatened a campaign staff member for working with the media on the narrative.
Amid the political drama, the Democratic Socialists of America called on progressive campaigns to stop working with Katz.
“Men like Platner must not represent the American Left, and those like Katz who push such candidates should have no role in our movement,” the left-wing organization said in a letter. “Katz is linked in the mind of the media and political class to NYC-DSA. Our movement must be both ethical and strategic. Katz has not shown an ability to be either.”
Though Mamdani is a self-described socialist and an active DSA member, he continues to back Katz. The adviser is not a DSA member.
Before advising Mamdani and Platner, Katz was known for working on the campaigns of Nebraska independent Senate candidate Dan Osborn in 2024 and Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) in 2022.