Vickie Paladino
Vickie Paladino | |
|---|---|
| Minority Whip of the New York City Council | |
| Assumed office February 7, 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Inna Vernikov |
| Member of the New York City Council from the 19th district | |
| Assumed office January 1, 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Paul Vallone |
| Personal details | |
| Born | New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Website | Official website |
Vickie Albrizio Paladino is an American politician from the state of New York. Paladino is a member of the New York City Council for the 19th district, a northeast Queens district that includes College Point, Whitestone, Bayside, Douglaston, Little Neck, and parts of Flushing.[1] A member of the Republican Party, she was first elected to the City Council in 2021 and was re-elected in 2023. In 2025, Paladino was named minority whip of the City Council.
Political career
[edit]Paladino gained media attention in 2017 after she confronted then-New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio at a public appearance. Paladino, who was on her way home from a nail salon, stopped to shout at de Blasio for having traveled to Germany to attend a protest a day after a New York City police officer had been shot to death.[2][3][4]
Paladino ran for State Senate in 2018, but was defeated by Democrat John Liu.[3]
In 2021, Paladino defeated Democrat Tony Avella to win election to the New York City Council. Her predecessor, Paul Vallone, was term-limited.[5][6] Paladino was re-elected to the City Council in 2023, defeating Avella in a rematch.[7]
On her first day at work as a member of the City Council, Paladino declined to provide proof that she had been vaccinated against COVID-19. After Paladino said, "'I don’t need to show you my papers... This is not Nazi Germany'", she was not allowed to enter the Council chamber.[3] Paladino later apologized for her remarks and participated in City Council proceedings online;[8] she was eventually granted a religious exemption from the vaccine mandate and was granted access to the Council chamber.[3]
During her time on the New York City Council, Paladino has been a critic of bicyclists in New York City. She has called for bicyclists to carry liability insurance, register their bikes and carry license plates.[9]
In March of 2023, Paladino was removed from the City Council's Mental Health Committee in what she claimed to be retaliation for her comments about Drag Queen Story Hour, a program in which drag performers read storybooks to children at schools and public libraries. Paladino referred to the program as "'cultural indoctrination'" and "'child grooming'". Paladino added, "'Our kids are lagging in school... They are two and four years behind in basic education, math, reading, science, they need to get back to basics...and to concentrate our efforts on drag queens seems like a terrible waste of time and energy'".[10]
On May 3, 2024, in response to campus protests against Israel's bombardment of the Gaza Strip, Paladino called college students "monsters" who must be "slayed" in New York City.[11]
In January 2025, in response to a report by a StreetsBlog NYC reporter on illegal parking on sidewalks by the New York City Police Department, Paladino posted on X that “You can just tell when a guy has never been punched in the face.”[12] Paladino's post was criticized for promoting violence by a spokesperson for the New York City Council who said it was "unacceptable and can lead to a dangerous escalation that undermines public safety."
Paladino has a son, Thomas Paladino Jr., who has worked as her spokesperson.[13] Paladino has been criticized for her employment of her son after press reported that he was an active user of alt-tech social network Gab where he made posts suggesting Africans were "savages" and implying that California Congresswoman Maxine Waters should be shot.[14] In response to criticism, Paladino Jr. claimed he was not suggesting Waters should be killed and was not being racist when referring to Africans as "savages."
On February 7, 2024, Paladino was appointed minority whip of the New York City Council.[15]
Paladino is known for her support for law enforcement and small business; her opposition to migrant shelters, pro-Palestinian protests during the Israel-Hamas War,[16] squatter houses, vaccine mandates, and congestion pricing; her strong support for President Donald Trump; her deeply conservative views; and her confrontational, outspoken personality.[3]
References
[edit]- ^ "District 19 - Vickie Paladino". council.nyc.gov. Retrieved February 9, 2025.
- ^ Rauh, Grace (July 20, 2017). "Whitestone resident gives de Blasio earful over Germany trip". ny1.com.
- ^ a b c d e Krichevsky, Sophie (January 21, 2025). "Yes, Vickie Paladino is for real". City & State NY.
- ^ "'You Let Your Police Officers Down:' Queens Woman Confronts De Blasio About Germany Trip". www.cbsnews.com. July 21, 2017.
- ^ "Republican Vickie Paladino Defeats Democrat Tony Avella For New York City Council Seat". www.cbsnews.com. November 17, 2021. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
- ^ "Democrat Tony Avella concedes in Queens Council race". www.ny1.com. November 17, 2021. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
- ^ "NYC Councilwoman Vickie Paladino reelected in northern Queens". New York Daily News. November 8, 2023. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
- ^ "Queens Lawmaker Vickie Paladino Given Vaccine Waiver to Take Seat in NYC Council Chamber". Jackson Heights Post. January 21, 2022.
- ^ "NYC Councilwoman Vickie Paladino says bicyclists should be licensed". New York Daily News. February 13, 2023.
- ^ Levine, Jon (March 11, 2023). "GOP Councilwoman Vickie Paladino booted from NYC Council panel after criticizing Drag Queen Story Hour". New York Post. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
- ^ "NYC councilwoman calls protesting students 'monsters' and it's 'our job to slay them'". The Independent. May 4, 2024. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
- ^ "Paladino draws criticism after suggesting violence in social media post". Queens Eagle. January 29, 2025.
- ^ "'Law-and-Order' Council Member Had Fake, Illegal License Plate in Her Driveway". nyc.streetsblog.org. July 24, 2023.
- ^ "Paladino's son lands himself in controversy". nyc.streetsblog.org. October 25, 2018.
- ^ Motherway, Colum (February 7, 2025). "Joann Ariola rises to Minority Leader in NYC Council after contested vote, appoints Vickie Paladino as Minority Whip". qns.com.
- ^ Balk, Tim (November 8, 2023). "NYC Councilwoman Vickie Paladino reelected in northern Queens". nydailynews.com.
External links
[edit]- 19th District page on New York City Council site
