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City Hall told the New York Post that Kassem attended because his office helped draft both executive orders as part of his responsibilities as chief counsel.

The symbolism of giving him the signing pen nevertheless drew immediate criticism from relatives of 9/11 victims and Republican members of the New York City Council.

Dennis Warchola, whose firefighter brother Michael died in the North Tower, questioned why someone with Kassem’s legal history would be singled out during a ceremony commemorating the attacks.

Council Member Joann Ariola described the move as “breathtakingly tone-deaf and disrespectful,” arguing that the anniversary should focus on victims and their families.

Retired NYPD detective Michael Alcazar also criticized the symbolism, telling the Post he believed the handoff had been calculated, although no evidence has emerged establishing that Mamdani intended the gesture as a political statement.

The mayor’s executive orders themselves focus explicitly on honoring those killed on September 11, first responders, survivors and families affected by the attacks.

The remembrance order directs city agencies to observe moments of silence, hold commemorative programs and promote volunteer service each September 11.

A second order announced alongside it updates emergency preparedness procedures and creates a new interagency team aimed at maintaining essential city operations during future crises.

Mamdani said the orders were intended to demonstrate that “Never Forget” should involve both remembrance and concrete preparation to protect New Yorkers.

The controversy therefore centers not on the substance of the executive orders but on the ceremonial decision to give the signing pen to Kassem.

Kassem’s work representing accused or convicted terrorism suspects was undertaken in his role as an attorney, and legal representation does not imply endorsement of a client’s conduct or ideology.

That distinction has not stopped critics from arguing that honoring him with a symbolic item from a 9/11 remembrance ceremony was inappropriate given the history of one of his former clients, The New York Post reported.

With New York preparing to mark the 25th anniversary of the attacks, the brief pen handoff has now become an unexpected political controversy surrounding what City Hall intended to be a solemn commemoration.