Also Asked to Divest from Yorktown San Gennaro Festival; Questions Raised About Non-Profit CCM of Westchester
By Dan Murphy
In a letter dated November 10, Four members of the Yorktown Town Board wrote the following letter to Tom Pomposello, who was caught on video at a Yorktown GOP celebration on Election Night saying T”hat mother****r. That fu****g sand n****r,” in referencre to Yorktown Councilman Vishnu Patel, who was defeated for re-election Nov. 2.
“The Yorktown Town Board has a zero tolerance approach to racism and hate in our community. You have publicly admitted to casting racist slurs at a member of the Town Board.
“Your conduct has become a stain on our community. Therefore, we are requesting that you divest yourself from the San Gennaro Feast as its organizer. promoter, and end any involvement you may have with this event. The San Gennaro Feast has become an important celebration of Italian-American culture and history, but given your recent remarks your involvement must end
“Further, it has been brought to our attention that your organization, CCM of Westchester, has apparently failed to file the required annual report for charitable organizations since 2017. Failure to comply with these important legal requirements could potentially place the town in legal jeopardy and risk.”
“The Yorktown Town Board strongly believes individual accountability is a critical component to combating racism, hate and bigotry. Your actions to do not reflect the values of our community and are counter to what we as the governing body of Yorktown strive to achieve, which is a community of acceptance for all. For these reasons Yorktown must end it partnership with you and CCM of Westchester,” signed by Supervisor Matt Slater, Councilmember Alice Roker, Tom Diana, Ed Lachterman.
The Daily News is the latest media outlet to report on Yorktown republican Tom Pomposello’s racist comment caught on video at the celebration for republican candidates on election night. The story, link below repeats what we have reported on and what was originally reported on Yorktown News, https://www.tapinto.net/towns/yorktown/
But the fact that the Daily News, one of New York’s big three daily newspapers, picked up the story only gives it more legs. Empire Report, a Statewide daily newsletter that collects stories from around NY, also picked up our story two days ago.
Kevin Byrne’s Chair of the Yorktown GOP, resent to us an email from the party which we have printed before but do so again.
“On Sunday November 7, Brian Marschhauser from the Yorktown News alerted me to the fact that a video posted on the Yorktown Republican Facebook page contained profanity and racist language. This video was taken on Election Night as our Republican candidates for Town Board were giving speeches thanking their supporters. While the speeches were being given, an unknown person in the crowd could be heard in the background using profanity and racist slurs against Councilman Vishnu Patel. I was horrified and embarrassed to hear such language on our Facebook page and immediately removed the video.
The Yorktown Republican Town Committee condemns these comments in the strongest possible terms. I apologize that such an offensive video was on our Facebook page for five days, but I can assure that had I known about the comments, the video would never have been posted. When I first watched and listened to the video, I was focused on what the candidates were saying, not on the background conversations, and I simply did not hear the slurs. I can also assure that if I heard those comments being made on Election Night, I would have taken immediate steps to correct the situation.
I informed Mr. Marschhauser that I would conduct an immediate investigation to see if we could determine the identity of the person making the comments, and if it turned out to be a member of the Yorktown Republican Town Committee, disciplinary action would commence.
After listening closely and speaking to a few people who were present, it was quickly determined that the person who made the comments was YRTC District Leader Tom Pomposello. Mr. Pomposello was informed that these comments were unacceptable and inexcusable. Mr. Pomposello was asked for his resignation from the Yorktown Republican Town Committee, and he complied.
On behalf of the Yorktown Republican Town Committee, I would again like to offer an apology to Councilman Patel and anyone else who was unfortunate enough to view this video and hear the despicable comments. Comments like these are unacceptable and do not reflect the values of the Yorktown Republican Town Committee,” said Byrnes.
Additional comments against Pomposello and in support of Councilman Patel have poured in from across Westchester.
The Westchester County Board of Legislators issued a joint statment, “That an accomplished and selfless public servant like Councilman Patel — a three-term councilman, a former IBM scientist, a father of two West Point graduates — can be the object of such hatred, sadly illuminates the pervasiveness and dehumanizing power of race hatred. For those who hate on the basis of race, or gender, or ethnicity, or sexual orientation, there’s nothing a person can be or do that humanizes them to the hater.
“While the condemnation of Pomposello’s statement by the Yorktown Town Republican Committee, and Pomposello’s resignation, is appropriate, the video of Pomposello uttering such a slur in a crowded room full of community leaders with such comfort and with no apparent condemnation in the moment, is disturbing.
“It is not enough to tolerate silently racism in our midst, nor to act against it only when it becomes a public relations problem, nor merely to apologize for uttering aloud what is in our hearts after the destructive work of one’s words is done. We must actively confront hatred wherever and whenever we encounter it, in the moment, until it is eradicated from the heart of our nation, and before it grows into something even more destructive than words.
“This year, the Westchester County Human Rights Commission has launched a series of Bystander Intervention Training events to empower people with methods of responding to hate and harassment. The latest such event was held on Zoom on November 9. We hope the Human Rights Commission will continue this important training so that everyone can learn how to confront racial hatred in the moment,” end of BOL statement.
Greenburgh Supervisor Paul Feiner stated, “I do not reside in Yorktown. But, I join many others from around the county who are deeply offended by the racist remarks made on election night against Yorktown Town Councilman Vishnu Patel, who lost his re-election bid after serving for 10 years. I have known Vishnu for his entire tenure as a Councilman. We both have participated in meetings of the Westchester Municipal Officials Association. And I have attended numerous legislative meetings with Vishnu over the years. Vishnu is highly respected, hard working, has had great ideas, was one of the first (if not first) elected officials in the county of Indian heritage. He has inspired others from around the county to seek and win election to public office. And, he is an exceptional human being.
“It’s my hope that Vishnu will not get discouraged by his election loss and that either Westchester County or New York State will find an appointment for him to a prestigious Board so he can continue to stay involved. I am pleased that Democrats and Republicans condemned the GOP party leader who made the offensive comments and inappropriate remarks. By appointing Vishnu to a Board or Commission – an important statement will be made—-that our county appreciates Vishnu, we applaud his dedication to community service and his substantial accomplishments over the years,” said Feiner.
Yorktown for Justice (YFJ) denounced the racist remarks, stating, “Mr. Patel, an Indian-American Democratic Councilman and father of 2 Yorktown alumni and graduates of West Point, was an award-winning IBM scientist for decades before entering public service as Yorktown Councilman in 2010. He was recently defeated in his reelection bid. In a statement to the public, Patel said “It is not surprising that one individual at a Republican gathering should shout out a vile obscene remark about my nationality,” citing the propagation and normalization of anti-Asian rhetoric under the Trump administration. No GOP members surrounding Pomposello censured him until the video was made
public.
“This incident is the latest in which the Yorktown GOP has come under fire for scandals, and racist and
prejudiced acts including xenophobic, anti-semitic and racist GOP mailers in 2017. Yorktown
Republicans, including Town Supervisor Matt Slater, have condemned Pomposello’s words, who has
since resigned as district leader. Despite issuing statements denouncing racism, the town of Yorktown has
not supported anti-discrimination programs, policies or educational measures.
“Additionally, town officials have aligned with local chapters of national advocacy groups opposing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) measures in schools, despite Lakeland and Yorktown Central School Districts’ alumni
and students repeatedly detailing their experiences of discrimination to school boards. Yorktown resident
Maura Gregory says “As a parent of Black children who grew up in this town, I know this is not an
isolated event. There is racism in Yorktown that needs to be addressed.”
“Yorktown for Justice calls on local government to convene a town hall meeting led by a DEI professional;
to provide robust and ongoing diversity training for employees and members; and for the Lakeland and
Yorktown Central school districts to accelerate stalled DEI efforts including training and diversifying staff
and curricula,” end of YFJ statement.
Last week, Pomposello told Yorktown News, tapintoyorktown.net after the video was shared across social media, “I want to apologize. It was disgusting. It was something I don’t remember saying. I watched it and listened to it and said, ‘Oh, my God. It’s me. I’m embarrassed for my family. I am horrified by this, I plan on apologizing to Vishnu in person, to both the Republican and Democratic parties, and to the people of Yorktown.” He added that he had been drinking that night.
