It was many years in the making, but Andy King’s political life is done…for now.
New York City Council members voted 48-2 to expel King from the council on Monday, Oct. 5 amid allegations of misappropriating city funds and sexual harassment. The only “No” votes were from New York City Council Member Ruben Diaz, Sr. and King himself.
Before the vote, King gave a statement expressing his displeasure with the vote.
“I am very saddened and disheartened by the decision made by the New York City Council in today’s stated meeting,” said King. “As a representative of the 12th District in the Bronx, it is very disappointing to be removed from a position that has allowed me to serve my community for almost eight years.
This was the city council’s third investigation of King regarding unethical practices going back to 2014. The investigation revealed that he failed to pay a $15,000 fine to the council as a result of the second investigation.
He also, allegedly, told a staff member to “put a Band-Aid on it” in response to her concerns about menstrual bleeding.
King said the hearing conducted by the City Council Committee on Standards and Ethics didn’t “consult the transcripts” of said hearing and didn’t review any evidence presented against him. King accused the council of providing a false narrative resulting in his expulsion.
The now former city council member invoked the spirit of an investigation into a U.S. Supreme Court Justice 30 years ago as a comparison to his investigation.
“Many of my colleagues condemned sexual harassment before casting their vote,” said King. “I, like them, repudiate sexual harassment in any form, and have always worked to ensure that women’s rights are protected, supported and enriched. This case had nothing to do with sexual harassment. In the words of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, it was a ‘high-tech lynching’ orchestrated by my political enemies to satisfy their agenda.”
King claimed that the voices of his constituents were silenced with his expulsion.
