Members of the City Council’s Progressive Caucus are calling for an ethics investigation and censure of Republican Council Member Vickie Paladino following a “disgusting, Islamophobic rant” on social media in which she called for the expulsion of Muslims from Western nations.
In response to the horrific antisemitic terror attack in Sydney, Australia, Paladino wrote on Sunday that the world is experiencing a “global jihad” and argued that governments should begin expelling Muslims or imposing “severe sanctions” on them within Western countries.
She also called for the development of a legal framework for denaturalization, warning of another Sept. 11-style attack.
Australian authorities have stated that the Bondi Beach attack, which left 15 people dead, was carried out by a father and son acting alone, with authorities emphasizing that the attack does not appear to be linked to any larger organized network.
Among those praised for their bravery during the attack was Ahmed Al-Ahmed, a Muslim bystander who helped protect victims by disarming one of the gunmen in a now-viral video.
Paladino’s post, as well as her activity in resharing similar posts, drew widespread condemnation from city officials on Monday, including members of the City Council Progressive Caucus.
Council Member Paladino did not respond to requests for comment.
“On Monday, following a disgusting, Islamophobic rant on X from Council Member Vickie Paladino that included her calling for ‘the expulsion of Muslims’ en masse, members of the City Council Progressive Caucus issued a call for the Council’s Committee on Standards & Ethics to investigate and fast-track the process for censure by the full Council,” the members said in a statement.
“For years, Paladino has engaged in a well-documented pattern of racist and inflammatory outbursts that have no place in our city and our politics. To continue to allow her to spew this hatred without consequences is unacceptable. We stand with Muslim New Yorkers and are united in condemning this latest tirade. We hope our colleagues will join us,” they added.
A member of the caucus, Brooklyn Council Member Shahana Hanif, one of only two Muslim members City Council, said Paladino’s comments reflect a troubling pattern of selective accountability within city government.
“Council Member Vickie Paladino openly calls for the expulsion of Muslims, without even attempting to mask her Islamophobia. And she, too, will likely face no consequences.” Hanif said. “As one of only two Muslim elected officials in a City Council of 51, I shouldn’t have to explain what this pattern says about whose safety, dignity, and belonging are treated as expendable.”
Another Progressive Caucus member, Council Member Sandy Nurse, described the post as “another racist, deplorable statement” and said New Yorkers deserve leaders who reflect the city’s diversity.
Incoming Speaker Julie Menin, who counts Paladino’s support among her supermajority to lead the council next year, said she asked the Queens council member to remove the post, but it remained live for nearly two hours after Menin commented.
At the time of publication, the post had been removed, though Paladino’s X account continues to feature anti-Muslim content.
Outgoing City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams called the remarks “hateful anti-Muslim rhetoric that threatens the safety of us all” and urged the Ethics Committee to take disciplinary action.
Paladino, a Republican representing parts of Queens, first gained attention in 2017 after a viral video showed her confronting then-Mayor Bill de Blasio. She has since built a reputation for provocative rhetoric and frequent controversies.
In recent months, she has drawn criticism for doubling down on calls for the deportation of Zohran Mamdani, who will be sworn in as NYC’s first Muslim mayor next month.
Mayor-elect Mamdani called Paladino’s tweet “vile Islamophobia” that “has no place in our city.”
“A million Muslims live in New York City. We belong here, as does every other New Yorker,” Mamdani posted.
Another such case earlier this year was the online harassment of the partner of a Brooklyn activist who was fatally stabbed in 2023. That incident prompted a cease-and-desist letter and requests for an ethics investigation.
Council Member Sandra Ung, who chairs the Ethics Committee, did not respond to queries regarding the status of the investigation.
