NYC Councilor vows to fight claims of Islamophobia

(The Center Square) — A Republican New York City councilor is vowing to “vigorously” defend herself against claims she violated the board’s ethics rules with a string of social media posts calling for the “expulsion” of Muslims from the country.

The City Council’s standards and ethics committee voted Wednesday to charge Council Member Vickie Paladino for remarks she’s made on social media over the past few months, criticizing newly appointed members of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration.

Council Speaker Julie Menin, a Democrat, called for the ethics committee vote, describing Paladino’s comments “unacceptable and deeply Islamophobic.”

“This deplorable, inflammatory conduct negatively affects Council employees and people across our city,” Menin said in a statement. “New York City is the most diverse city in the world, and we will not tolerate behavior that targets or demeans any community based on their faith, background, or immigration status — particularly from our own members.”

In a soc...