A show trial is “held in public with the intention of influencing or satisfying public opinion, rather than of ensuring justice,” according to Oxford. That sounds like what Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s “rental ripoff” hearings will be. His executive order asks tenants and activists to testify about “illegal, unfair, abusive, deceptive, or unconscionable landlord practices.” He doesn’t call for testimony about unfair, abusive or unconscionable practices by tenants, although landlords have lots of horror stories. His order doesn’t request facts about how laws and economic forces have made maintaining rent-stabilized housing so challenging. No, these hearings are only for landlord shaming. […]

This article originally appeared on The Real Deal. Click here to read the full story.