Overview
- Councilmember Vickie Paladino filed a state lawsuit seeking to block a City Council ethics hearing over her Islamophobic tweets, calling the case unconstitutional.
- A State Supreme Court judge rejected her request for a temporary restraining order and scheduled an early‑April hearing on whether to pause the Council proceeding.
- The Council’s ethics committee has charged Paladino with disorderly conduct and violating its anti‑harassment policy, giving her five days to submit a written response.
- Her posts included calls to expel Muslims from Western nations, claims of an “Islamic conquest,” and a message questioning a Muslim appointee’s American identity.
- Potential penalties range from censure and fines to expulsion requiring a two‑thirds Council vote, while Paladino alleges selective enforcement against her compared with colleagues who faced no formal charges.