One New York City council member recently made what some call “anti-Italian” remarks at a city council meeting.
The comments from Councilman Chi Osse were targeted at Dragonetti Brothers Landscaping. He noted, “I just want to say on Dragonetti – that name alone should have been the first red flag in terms of contracting with the city.”
Other council members, both Republican and Democrat, have called the man out on his remark. Councilman Osse claims he didn’t mean it as a racist statement. Instead, he says he was referring to the company’s guilty plea in an insurance fraud case last year. The firm ended up paying $1 million in restitution for that case.
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Some aren’t buying the excuse from Osse. They remember other racist remarks he’s made in the past. In 2019, he tweeted a comment about a drunk woman dancing at a wedding, asking if that was “white culture.”
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He also referred to the strategic response group from the New York Police Department as the “goon squad.” In another incident, he noted on Twitter that a “cis white man should not be the next speaker of the Council.”
Republican Councilman Joe Borelli doesn’t think Osse will face disciplinary measures. He says, “I’ll be all the salt in the sea that there will be no consequence for it.”
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Racist comments made in an official capacity are at the heart of some of the complaints, especially since the anti-Italian comment was made during an official council session while Osse was speaking. One of his fellow Democrat Councilmembers noted that it’s disturbing for him to say or write racist comments continually. He called on Osse to apologize and to take bias training.
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