Add The New York Post on Google A Luigi Mangione superfan who flaunts her Big Apple press pass at the CEO killer’s court hearings is also an aide to a lefty New Jersey councilman.
Abril Rios, a self-proclaimed “Mangionista,” is a part-time media and constituent services aide for Jersey City Councilman Jake Ephros, a Democratic Socialist, the lawmaker confirmed to NJ.com.
Rios — who has said the cold-blooded murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, 50, was “more of a revolutionary act of protest” — helps out with the councilman’s social media pages and district office hours.
“Abril is a communications professional with valuable experiences who contributes a lot to the daily works of our office,” Ephros said in a statement to the outlet.
“As a freelance press, she is mainly active in the coverage of a single case in New York City, which does not conflict with nor impact the important work she performs for us in Jersey City.”
Ephros said his “understanding” is that Rios’ involvement in the Mangioni case is centered on “her support for Medicare for All.”
View this post on Instagram The Luigi superfan has been working for the Jersey City lawmaker since June, according to her LinkedIn page.
Ephros, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, is also a backer of universal healthcare — and touts support for universal rent control, a municipal grocery store in Jersey City, and eliminating tipped minimum wage, according to the publication.
Rios and fellow “Mangionistas” Ashley Rojas and Lena Weissbrot sparked outrage after proudly trumpeting their press passes they received from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration during a key evidentiary hearing in the murder case in May.
Rios — a model and “Hot Girl for Zohran” — writes about Mangione’s case on Substack. In a previous blog post, co-bylined by the “Mangionistas,” she defended her press pass.
“Just like you can get a press pass to push anti-socialist slop, I can also get one to use my voice to platform what I believe in,” she wrote.
“We were always the supporters, who saw a brave young American standing up to the lived experiences we all share,” she added in a self-published August article after Mangione pleaded guilty to federal charges and detailed his plot to assassinate the healthcare bigwig and dad of two over grudges about the industry.
Mamdani has since said the trio should not have press credentials.
The New York City Council also recently proposed a bill, sponsored by Brooklyn Councilman Chris Banks, to allow the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment to suspend or revoke a press credential at an administrative hearing.
Rios told NJ.com that she is “very concerned” about the bill, which would also force the MOME to review its rules regarding the “issuance, suspension, and revocation of press credentials.”
“I think there’s just blatant viewpoint discrimination taking place at this time,” she said, likening the bill to President Trump’s ban on CNN, MSNOW, and Politico from the White House.
“I think it’s only bolstering authoritarianism,” Rios whined, before describing herself as “extremely multifaceted” in her career choices.
“I can’t just say I’m a member of the press, or I’m just an activist, or I’m just a media aide,” Rios said. “I’m someone who’s extremely multifaceted, and that’s something I’ve always been proud of. I can’t just define myself as one thing.”
Ephros did not respond to The Post’s request for comment.
