Diaz ripped by city pols
Councilman Ruben Diaz Sr. was dubbed a “d- - - - -bag” and wildly condemned by other politicians for saying he wouldn’t snitch on sexual harassers this week.
Mayor de Blasio said the Bronx Democrat’s comments were “disgraceful and dangerous,”
“This d- - - - -bag gets classier by the day,” Bronx state Sen. Gustavo Rivera tweeted on Thursday. “Here’s hoping somebody rats HIM out if he ever steps out of line.”
“Disgraceful and dangerous words,” de Blasio tweeted.. “Protect victims, not harassers. It’s that simple. It’s the obligation of all 400,000 public servants in this government. That includes YOU.”
Controller Scott Stringer said the “outrageous and ignorant rhetoric silences survivors and perpetuates a culture of secrecy and shame.”
“No one is a rat for speaking truth to power,” Stringer tweeted. “I condemn this in the strongest terms possible. New Yorkers deserve leaders who put survivors first.”
Diaz claimed in a statement on Thursday to be the victim of a “coordinated campaign” by those “distorting facts and trying hard to get me out of the New York City Council,”
He offered a halfhearted apology to anyone with “misguided concerns about my behavior.”
“I have always protected women and have immediately addressed any sexual harassment or bullying if I have even suspected that a woman has felt uncomfortable when someone is violating the rules,” Diaz said.
Diaz had loudly vowed to never report sexual harassment and risk being a “rat” during an outburst at a mandatory City Council harassment training session on Wednesday, several lawmakers told the Daily News.
“I’m not gonna rat my people out! This place is full of rats!” Diaz screamed during the presentation. The lawmakers had been asked what they should do if they overheard a Council employee making sexually inappropriate comments that “visibly upset” a female staffer.
Diaz, a Pentecostal minister known for making homophobic remarks, also claimed during the presentation he was “bullied” for saying earlier this year that the Council is “controlled by the homosexual community,” according to Council members at the training. The Council had voted to dissolve the committee he oversaw in response to the remark.
Council Speaker Corey Johnson, who had courted the Bronx councilman’s support to gain the perch, later apologized giving him the committee.
Johnson said the Bronx councilman’s comments were “unacceptable.”
“Diaz clearly has no respect for victims of sexual harassment and no clue what he’s talking about. His comments are willfully ignorant and unacceptable,” the speaker said. “It is of the utmost importance to me that staff here feel comfortable in the workplace, and I want to reiterate to Council staff that his remarks are unacceptable and not a reflection of the standards here at the Council.”
Diaz’s rants during the training session led to a tense fight with Johnson, and caused several Council members to storm out of the presentation.