ASTORIA – Council Member Costa Constantinides issued the following statement on October 5 concerning his vote to expel Andy King from the New York City Council:

“Today the New York City Council took the unprecedented step to expel Andy King from this body. This was not taken lightly, but over the last year Andy has shown no remorse for the substantiated allegations of abuse, harassment, and betrayal of public trust. Instead, he has doubled down on the idea that he has done nothing wrong. What does that say to the women he made feel unsafe? Andy has time and again betrayed the oath all of us took to make this City a better place, not just for our constituents but all 8.4 million New Yorkers — including our staff.

“For the last year I have maintained he was no longer fit to serve in the Council, as he’s continually sought retribution instead of absolution. He scoffed at the umpteenth chance he got last year to make amends or improve himself. I voted last year and again today to expel him, because we must set the example that anyone who abuses trust should be removed from the workplace. As a former Council staffer, I know how hard our teams work over grueling days to make the City a safer place. They have put their faith in us because they believe in our particular causes or want to serve their neighborhood. We, in turn, should support them — not make them fear for their health or safety. This is something we must uphold.” 

Council Member Costa Constantinides represents the New York City Council’s 22nd District, which includes his native Astoria along with parts of Woodside, East Elmhurst, and Jackson Heights. He serves as the chair of the City Council’s Environmental Protection Committee and sits on three additional committees: Sanitation, Resiliency, and Technology. For more information, visit council.nyc.gov/costa.