Recently, a friend in media asked how he could acquire a New York City press pass. I sent him the form to fill out, but I told him it was a longshot without a legitimate body of work. How foolish of me. Apparently, all you need is a Substack and a lust for political violence. Perhaps it helps if you give yourself a cutsie name like the “Mangionistas.” On Monday morning, Luigi Mangione appeared for a hearing in Manhattan, and the aforementioned “Mangionistas,” aka his
murder cheer squad, showed up to support him. And these extremists have been granted full legitimacy by mayor Zohran Mamdani’s Executive Director of the Press Credentials Office, Samer Nasser. Although she’s mostly behind the scenes, the official city biography for Nasser describes her as a “native New Yorker and first-generation Arab American,” who previously worked for CBS news, Al Jazeera America and Fox Business. Standing outside of court, the gruesome trio — Abril Rios, Ashley Rojas and Lena Weissbrot — proudly showed off their press
credentials like fan girls finally getting backstage passes to meet their favorite K-pop group. They obviously weren’t there to report on the hearing. They were there to endorse and justify the cold-blooded Midtown murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson. “I’m standing on business, f—k Brian Thompson. I don’t give a flying f—k he died,” Rojas told reporters. Her fellow terror groupie, Weissbrot added more vitriol. “He’s responsible for more deaths than Osama bin Laden, and I remember Americans celebrating when Osama bin Laden was
killed,” she said. “It’s not like we don’t understand heroic violence, or, like, when violence is good.” They both accused him of committing “mass social murder.” These dangerous dimwits should be given a ride to Bellevue for a mental check up. Not the credential reserved for working journalists. When Mangione allegedly murdered Thompson in December of 2024, he was immediately elevated to heartthrob status by throngs of unmoored nihilists. And every time he appears in court, so does a gaggle of cracked up loonies, many
obscuring their identity behind N-95 masks and sunglasses. Fan girls have shown up in Super Mario Bros’ Luigi costumes, holding homemade signs to support their bushy browed “hero.” Last year, I interviewed one purple haired woman who traveled all the way from New Hampshire to support Mangione and perform her original song, “Delulu for Lu Lu.” Another 20 something woman I spoke to that day, argued that Thompson’s murder was good because it sparked a long overdue conversation about healthcare. It was chilling. But all
of these people have always been treated as a sideshow, rightfully relegated to spectator status: part of a deranged fan club, the chorus of the unhinged. They weren’t treated like qualified professionals by the city. Previously, the NYPD handled press credentials and the vetting was long and thorough. That all changed under the de Blasio administration. They moved the operation to the Mayor’s office of Media and Entertainment. The Adams’ administration proposed changes to tighten restrictions and restore some integrity to the process. However, Mamdani
nixed them. While the standards are obviously arbitrary when it comes these vile women, the office regularly uses discretion in issuing these cards, even to veteran reporters at media institutions. But who needs an actual resume? Rios describes herself as “formerly: child model, actress, and influencer. currently: female rage encourager, abolitionist, and socialist fascism resister weaponizing my masters degree.” It’s undeniable that the media landscape has changed as independent reporters have proliferated. That means there are loads of legitimate journalists no longer tied to storied
mastheads or networks. And then there are jokes like the “Mangionistas.” This isn’t only about access but safety. Not every clown with a X account and an iPhone should be allowed near officials, in sensitive locations and around other reporters. In her Substack, Rios justifies not only their presence, but also claims: “Journalists…do not have leverage…They are given a brief to fill and are not allowed to have much creative freedom.” Rios may have freedom to write as she wants; but she also sees herself
as part of the trial, an object of fascination for news outlets. In fact, she warns media members that they should be kissing the feet of the “Mangionistas.” “However, I’d like to remind my lovely journalist friends that they may want to stay in our good graces, if they want to get their stories out about us during trial,” she writes. Their depraved ramblings aren’t of any service to the public — they only lift the profiles of these bloodthirsty women and their dangerous, misguided
worldview. And whoever shamefully stamped approved on their applications has given them the go-ahead.
Luigi Mangione, Mangionistas, press credentials, Samer Nasser, Zohran Mamdani, Brian Thompson, Manhattan hearing, Abril Rios, Ashley Rojas, Lena Weissbrot