NYC Councilman Criticized for Anti-Italian Bias

Democratic Council Member Accused of Bigotry by Italian Caucus

A Democratic member of the New York City Council is under fire for comments that members of the council’s Italian Caucus say were bigoted.

During a budget meeting, Democrat Chi Ossé made comments about Dragonetti Brothers Landscaping, a contractor that had to pay more than $1 million in restitution last year for insurance fraud. Ossé suggested that the company’s Italian name should have disqualified them from receiving a city contract.

The Italian Caucus issued a complaint, accusing Ossé of promoting anti-Italian stereotypes. They stated, “The members of the Italian Caucus categorically condemn the comments Council member Chi Ossé made on the record during a budget hearing this week, in which he suggested that an Italian surname that branded a company should have led to its disqualification from ever getting a contract with the City of New York.”

Ossé defended his comments, claiming they had nothing to do with Italians and everything to do with the company’s tarnished reputation. However, the Italian Caucus pointed out that the business won the contract before their fraudulent practices were exposed.

Takeaways:

• Chi Ossé, a Democratic member of the New York City Council, is facing accusations of bigotry from the council’s Italian Caucus.
• Ossé suggested that a business with an Italian name should have been disqualified from receiving a city contract.
• The Italian Caucus condemned Ossé’s comments and accused him of promoting anti-Italian stereotypes.
• Ossé defended his comments, but the Italian Caucus pointed out that the business won the contract before their fraudulent practices were exposed.

It’s important for public officials to be mindful of the language they use and the stereotypes they perpetuate. The Italian Caucus’s response to Ossé’s comments serves as a reminder that words matter and can have real-world consequences.

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