Rep. New York Brandon Williams was caught on camera threatening a former staffer at a lobbying firm’s holiday party in Washington, DC — vowing to “end every relationship” with the former aide.
Williams’ actions at the BGR Group-hosted party have drawn criticism from ousted Long Island Rep. George Santos — who said Williams engaged in “unethical behavior” in his confrontation with his former chief of staff.
Videos posted online by Syracuse University student reporter Luke Radel shows Williams confronting a man as he points his finger in his face.
A visibly distressed former staffer, identified by Syracuse.com as Williams’ former chief of staff Michael Gordon, tried to tell the angry congressman, “I didn’t do anything.”
But Williams looked him in the eye and said, “You f– with my family, I’m going to end every relationship you have. Every friend!
“Do you understand me?” he asked.
A video posted online shows Rep. New York Brandon Williams threatened a former staffer at a holiday party on Thursday. X/@lukeradel The congressman told his former chief of staff Michael Gordon that he would “end every relationship” he had. X/@lukeradel
Gordon then replied, “I don’t know what you -” before Williams cut him off.
“Do you understand me? You think I don’t?” asked the congressman again.
The confrontation was then interrupted when a woman intervened and asked, “Excuse me?”
At that point, the new congressman asked the unidentified woman, “Why didn’t you get the police?”
He then turned to the man filming the confrontation, identified by his office as another former employee, Ryan Sweeney, and hit the camera.
Gordon, who also helped Williams win re-election in his Syracuse district last year, said the congressman knocked the phone out of his hand, and Gordon walked away to avoid escalating the fight.
Williams has since claimed Gordon said “very vile things” about his wife and daughter, allegations Gordon denies. X/@lukeradel
Williams has since claimed Gordon said “very vile things” about his wife and daughter, leading to a confrontation that was caught on tape.
Stephanie Williams, his wife, also said she felt “violated” by the ordeal and said that one of the two staff had previously lived in their home for more than five months.
“I fed him, we welcomed him to our house, we worshiped with him,” he told Semafor. “I mean, I’m overwhelmed with grief.”
Williams spokesperson Taylor Weyeneth also claimed on X that the two former staffers “were fired by the Congressman earlier this year” and that “both individuals, who confronted the Congressman and who filmed, made lewd comments about female members of the Congressman’s family.
“These individuals planted stories with the media, and one of them physically pushed a Congressman at a holiday event (edited from video),” Weyeneth wrote.
The Congressman turned to the man filming the confrontation, identified by his office as another former staffer, Ryan Sweeney, and hit the camera. X/@lukeradel
“As a former nuclear submarine officer known for his cool and calm demeanor, tonight should be a lesson to all, never go after this Navy Nuke family.”
But Gordon denied the allegations.
“I didn’t say anything about his family,” he insisted, claiming Williams confronted him and Sweeney after hearing unspecified rumours.
He explained that he was talking with Sweeney and another acquaintance near the food station at the International Spy Museum when he noticed Williams quickly approaching him from the middle of the room.
“I looked up and he was pushing through the crowd and straight at me,” Gordon told Syracuse.com, adding: “It was so traumatic, I thought he was going to attack me.”
Williams, a freshman in Congress, faces re-election in 2024. AP
“Unethical behavior that will get a slap on the wrist,” Santos posted on X hours before he was dismissed from Congress.
“I was told Rep. Gabarino was there and saw everything… will he take matters into his own hands and do the right thing as a member of the Ethics Committee?
“But hey, they said I was lying today on the floor of the House when I said it was all about late partying and drinking… Here you have some solid American evidence!”
Spokesman Rep. Garbarino said he was at the event but did not witness the altercation.
Williams, who faces re-election in 2024, previously asked Santos to resign over allegations he stole from his campaign, defrauded donors and engaged in fraudulent business practices.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
