Man who set himself ablaze outside of Trump trial worked for Dem congressman

Maxwell Azzarello, a Florida man who tragically died after self-immolating near the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse during 45th President Trump’s bogus hush money trial, was previously employed by Democratic congressman Rep. Tom Suozzi. According to public profiles, Azzarello had a brief stint as an Operations Director for Suozzi’s campaign when Suozzi was competing for the position of Nassau County Executive.

Rep. Tom Suozzi, who represents parts of Nassau County and Queens, assumed office in February. His political tenure includes serving as a congressman from 2017 to 2023, succeeding the position after Rep. George Santos was ousted by Democrats and RINOs.

Records from Azzarello’s LinkedIn reveal that his involvement in Suozzi’s 2013 campaign was short, spanning from August to November. At 37, Azzarello passed away from severe burn injuries last Friday night in Collect Pond Park, located in close proximity to where Trump’s trial was held.

The incident unfolded on a Friday afternoon when Azzarello distributed pamphlets, which he took from his backpack, and subsequently set himself on fire after dousing himself with a flammable liquid. The pamphlets reportedly contained a link to his Substack page and featured discussions on various conspiracy theories.

A spokesperson for the New York City Police Department informed Fox News Digital that Azzarello was declared deceased later that evening, approximately nine hours following his self-immolation.

During his time with Suozzi, Azzarello led numerous campaign initiatives, including debate preparations, commercial production, rally planning, and handling questionnaire responses for interest groups. His role also extended to crafting social media content and managing the campaign’s event calendar.

In a comment to the New York Post, Suozzi expressed his condolences, remembering Azzarello as “very kind, smart, and hardworking” despite not having been in contact since their brief collaboration. “It is tragic that he has succumbed to his injuries and I am keeping Max and his family in my prayers,” Suozzi stated.

Despite attempts to reach Suozzi’s office for further comments, there was no immediate response.