New York City real estate executive Scott Panzer was terminated from his position at JLL after sending an email critical of a company memo encouraging employees to support incoming mayor Zohran Mamdani, as reported by The New York Post.
Panzer told The New York Post he sent the message to spark “a meaningful conversation” about what he called the risks of political radicalism.
Panzer, 67, was a longtime top producer at JLL and managed high-profile accounts, including the iconic office tower at 9 West 57th Street in Midtown Manhattan.
So, JLL and Peter Riguardi, the chairman and president of JLL’s New York regional office, basically say that free speech in JLL’s world doesn’t exist. Lesson: Riguardi ignores who Mamdani is, and what he’s likely to do to the NYC economy. SHhhhhhhhh!
“NYC realtor fired over…
— Dr. Chauncey Herrington (@Herrin1Ch4214) November 10, 2025
His email, sent from an airport in San Diego, quickly spread through the firm and across the city’s real estate community.
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The controversy began when JLL New York President Peter Riguardi sent an internal memo urging staff to “give Mamdani a chance to lead,” despite the newly elected mayor’s limited political experience and past statements in support of policies expanding welfare programs and defunding police.
Panzer responded by drawing a comparison to 1930s Europe. “Is it just me, or does this sound eerily similar to what much of Germany and Europe said about you know who back in 1938?” he wrote. “We all know how that worked out for them — and for the world.”
In his statement to The Post, Panzer said, “As an industry, we need to be able to have open, meaningful conversations on the serious challenges the new mayor’s leadership presents. My views are shared by millions of people who do not speak up for fear of retribution. The real estate industry can ill afford inexperienced management by a novice politician with radical ideas.”
JLL did not respond to repeated requests for comment. According to sources, Panzer and Riguardi had previously clashed over internal management issues, and the firm’s longstanding business relationships with City Hall may have influenced the decision to part ways with him.
Panzer’s message also included concerns about cultural changes in the city.
“Just when it seemed that moving from [former Mayor Bill] de Blasio to [Mayor Eric] Adams couldn’t be much worse, New Yorkers have once again dipped their toes into the boiling cauldron of socialist reform,” he wrote.
He added a remark about his past travels: “I didn’t mind hearing the adhan [a Muslim prayer] five times a day for the few days I was there — I would not want that to be a 365-day event.”
When Panzer landed in New York later that evening, JLL’s management and human resources department contacted him to say his message was “not in keeping with company policy.”
“Is it just me, or does this sound eerily similar to what much of Germany and Europe said about you know who back in 1938?”
Here is the NY brokerage-wide email JLL’s Scott Panzer sent yesterday in response to Peter Riguardi’s post-election commentary on Zohran Mamdani. TRD now… pic.twitter.com/pHBfzeWqgR
— Hiten Samtani ️ (@hitsamty) November 6, 2025
Within hours, his email and company access were deactivated after 16 years with the firm.
Panzer told associates he has received an outpouring of support from industry peers, many of whom said they are afraid to express similar views publicly. Some real estate executives have discussed potential boycotts of JLL in protest of his firing.
Despite his dismissal, Panzer is not planning to contest the decision. “I just wanted people to think about what happens when we acquiesce to radicals,” he told a source familiar with his remarks.
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