Cynthia Nixon’s Wife Lands $200K City Job After Political Endorsement
The wife of actress Cynthia Nixon has been handed a $203,500-a-year position as the chief of mass engagement at the Family and Community Empowerment office within the Department of Education, a move that reeks of political favoritism.
This lucrative appointment comes as a direct reward from Zohran Mamdani, who benefited from Nixon's endorsement during his mayoral primary campaign.
Nixon hosted a fundraiser for Mamdani in March 2025, raking in over $200,000 for the self-proclaimed socialist candidate.
“So thrilled to host a fundraiser for the incredible Zohran Mamdani whose clear message & ambitious plan for a more affordable NYC is exactly what we need right now,” she boasted on Instagram, showcasing her alliance with Mamdani.
The hire has sparked sharp criticism, drawing parallels to New York's infamous political machines.
“It’s painfully fitting that inside Tweed Courthouse, a DSA machine reminiscent of Tammany Hall is handing taxpayer-funded jobs to the well-connected spouses of multimillionaire celebrities,” a City Hall insider remarked.
When approached for comment, Nixon dismissed claims that her wife’s hiring was politically motivated and refused to elaborate. Marinoni could not be reached for her side of the story.
Previously, Marinoni served as special assistant to the chancellor during the de Blasio administration, earning $131,708 according to public records.
Nixon, a perennial leftist activist who ran for governor in 2018 with the backing of the Democratic Socialists of America, has long been vocal about educational disparities.
“We have two different education systems in our state — one that sends wealthy white children to college, and another that sends poor children of color to prison,” she stated during her failed gubernatorial bid.
Her radical views extend to likening ICE to a terrorist organization and advocating for its abolition.
Nixon and Marinoni crossed paths through their involvement with the Alliance for Quality Education, a left-wing group opposing gifted and talented programs. Marinoni previously held the position of NYC director for AQE while Nixon served as its spokesperson for 17 years.
Zakiyah Ansari, an AQE official who once praised cop killer Assata Shakur, has called on former Mayor Eric Adams to dismantle gifted and talented programs in elementary schools.
“We believe every child is a gifted child, every child is a talented child,” Ansari declared in 2021, pushing back against programs that she claims disproportionately benefit a select few.
Also returning to the DOE is Sadye Campoamor, who took on the role of chief of external affairs in March, according to her LinkedIn profile.
Campoamor faced backlash during her previous tenure at the DOE in 2019 when she allegedly sent an email from her work account urging employees to attend a political rally for former NYC schools chief Richard Carranza.
“Christine is a longtime public servant, community organizer, and education advocate—precisely the experience and commitment our public schools need in leadership… Sadye is likewise a longtime public servant, with invaluable knowledge of our city’s education system,” a DOE spokesperson stated.
