Michael LaRosa
Role at the time: Former spokesperson for first lady Jill Biden
Condemned
Statement summary
LaRosa signed the exclusion petition and warned that Mamdani's presence would divert attention from victims and families.
“lightning rod”
Open source (opens in a new tab)Retired Port Authority officers tell Mamdani and Hochul to stay away from Ground ZeroJohn McDevitt’s August 14 letters and Michael LaRosa’s petition statement
Quotes letters from Port Authority Retired Police Association president John McDevitt and reports Michael LaRosa's warning that Mamdani would become a distraction.
Why we used this label
Signing the petition establishes opposition; the quotation captures his stated concern about distraction.