YORKTOWN, N.Y. (1010 WINS) — A Westchester Republican leader resigned after he was caught on camera using racial slurs, including the N-word, against an Indian-American Democratic councilman.
The Yorktown Republican Party's Facebook video, which has since been deleted, shows now-former GOP district leader Tom Pomposello calling Councilman Vishnu Patel "sand n-----" at an election night event last week.
"Vishnu's gone. Gone. Gone," he's heard saying in the clip. "That motherf-----. That f------ sand n-----."
Patel, a former IBM scientist and three-term Yorktown Councilman, lost reelection during last Tuesday's race.
The comments were condemned by The Westchester County Board of Legislators Wednesday calling his actions "disturbing."
The board also praised the Yorktown Town Republican Committee for disavowing Pomposello's comments, calling his resignation appropriate but said that "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."
They added, "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."
Patel, the father of two West Point graduates, told News 12 that former President Donald Trump's rhetoric has encouraged such behavior.
"Look at President Trump," he said. "It looks like he has given permission for people to say whatever they want, and they can get away."
Yorktown for Justice, a grassroots organization, urged the town to do more to combat racism other than "issuing statements" to comdemn bigotry.
"Despite issuing statements denouncing racism, the town of Yorktown has not supported anti-discrimination programs, policies or educational measures," the group said in a statement.
Pomposello told Yorktown News he was "horrified" and "embarrassed for his family."
"I'm embarrassed for my family. I am horrified by this," he said. "I plan on apologizing to Vishnu in person, to both the Republican and Democratic parties, and to the people of Yorktown."
