Growing outrage at councilman over staff taunts for autistic aide

A GROWING chorus of City Councilman Vincent Gentile’s constituents and critics voiced concern Wednesday over allegations that an aide with Asperger’s syndrome suffered extensive bullying in the politician’s office — including decapitated teddy bears being left on his desk.

Michael Bistreich, Gentile’s onetime legislation and budget director, alleged in a $10 million lawsuit filed Tuesday that he suffered “degrading and humiliating discrimination because he is autistic” in his 21/2 years working for the lawmaker.

Some of Gentile’s constituents expressed shock on Facebook.

“My daughter has been diagnosed (with) Asperger’s. You can imagine how this story makes me feel and how I’d react if someone treated my daughter this way. I know Mike. He’s a real good guy. Nobody should be treated like this,” wrote Bob Hudock, a former community board member Gentile had appointed.

“If these allegations are true, Councilman Gentile should be ashamed of himself for either participating in this, or allowing his office to allow this type of behavior to go on,” said Bob Capano, a Republican running for the Democrat Gentile’s seat, which he will vacate at the end of the year because of term limits. “Everyone should be treated with respect.”

Republican political strategist Evan Siegfried called outright for Gentile’s resignation.

“If these allegations are proven true, Gentile should absolutely no longer be serving in government,” he said.

After telling his bosses “he identified with and emotionally valued objects, including stuffed animals,” Bistreich allegedly found decapitated teddy bears and a gutted toy dog on his desk.

Gentile’s former chief of staff, John Mancuso, also lured Bistreich to a basement, asking him to get something, Bistreich said. Then, he said, he found himself locked in the dark space.

Another time, a staffer compared Bistreich to Avonte Oquendo, an autistic teen who tragically disappeared from his Queens school in October 2013 and whose remains washed ashore in College Point three months later.

Gentile himself repeatedly told the 28-year-old Bistreich the aide’s physical tics annoyed him — pressing him to increase his medication, even though there are no meds for Asperger’s, the suit charges.

Bistreich also claims Gentile used a vacation he took as a pretext for demoting him and taking away a raise — and said he ultimately had to quit because of the hostile situation.

One former Gentile staffer bought the parts of the story about Mancuso. “He’s such a jerk. He picks on people. It’s not shocking he’d be a bully like that,” the staffer said, but added that “Vinny was aware of Mike’s condition when he hired him. Everyone knew, everyone thought it was nice.”

Another former Council staffer said the allegations against Gentile seemed credible.

“Something seemed off, and it was uncomfortable,” the staffer said. The source heard Gentile and his staff “did mistreat that kid” and made “mean comments.”

Gentile on Wednesday offered a one-line response to the allegations. “I take this matter very seriously and will review the complaint with legal counsel,” he said in a statement.

Mancuso could not immediately be reached for comment. A former Gentile staffer defended their old boss and called the lawsuit ludicrous. “This is B.S. Mike knows what he’s doing. He’s looking for a payday,” the former aide said. “Gentile hired him knowing what his deal was. . . . He promoted him several times and gave him more and more responsibility.” The source added that Bistreich would say in front of people that, “He can’t fire me. I’ll sue.” Bistreich’s lawyer, Brian Heller, contends Gentile’s hiring of Bistreich doesn’t absolve him of the ensuing harassment.

“I’m certain that Council member Gentile was patting himself on the back when he hired Michael,” he said. “But once Michael’s disability became an annoyance to him, that’s when he could no longer tolerate Michael being in a prominent role.”

Asked about the allegations, the City Council said in a statement it “has a zero tolerance discrimination policy.” A spokesman for Mayor De Blasio referred reporters to the Human Rights Commission, where spokesman Seth Hoy said “NYC Human Rights Law protects all New Yorkers, including city employees, from discrimination and harassment in the workplace because of their disability.”