GOP unmasked
COVID rules are ignored as Queens club parties
A Queens Republican club partying to the Bee Gees should have been dancing with masks — and 6 feet apart.
Instead, members of the Whitestone Republican Club holiday party boogied to “Saturday Night Fever” songs on Dec. 9 as if they couldn’t catch a COVID fever — weaving and bobbing to the disco soundtrack in a conga line without a single face covering in sight, video of the event shows.
City Council candidate Vickie Paladino was one of several wellknown Queens GOPers at the holiday party held at Il Bacco Ristorante in Little Neck, which sued the state in September to reopen indoor dining.
The Christmas bash drew a lively crowd of at least 50 people, including conservative media personality Christopher Wright and former Assembly candidate James Martinosky, who waved a large blue Trump 2020 flag as he did a maskless shimmy past a table of booze.
“We felt it was important coming out of such a highly emotional election that we hold some kind of gathering to bring in the holidays,” said Whitestone Republican Club board member Robert Hornak, who insisted pandemic protocols were followed despite video footage that appeared to contradict him.
“We held an intimate gathering observing all the COVID guidelines in place at the time,” he added. “Every attendee was told to wear a mask, and everyone had one when entering, or was given one.”
Not a single partygoer donned a face covering in the 16-person conga line caught on video. Masks were also missing among most of the people sitting at the surrounding poinsettia-topped tables.
Indoor and outdoor gatherings at private residences are currently capped at 10 people, according to state
C OVI D-19 restrictions.
New Yorkers must also wear face coverings when they are in a public and maintain social distancing.
Other snapshots from the event show smiling attendees leaning in close for photos, many with their arms wrapped around one another.
“Had a great time at Vickie Albrizio Paladino Christmas event last night with some real
MAGA Friends & fellow Patriots. #TurnNyRED,” Wright posted on Facebook on Dec. 10 along with seven photographs where only one person out of 15 people were wearing a mask.
“So Beautiful my Ladies & Gents ... Love you,” Paladino posted on a photo of six maskless attendees posing by a Christmas tree.
Paladino did not respond to requests for comment.