Speaking at length about the discrimination Italian Americans have historically faced, Gov. Andrew Cuomo told a radio interviewer Tuesday he still believes there is widespread prejudice, including against his ethnic group.

"I believe there is anti-Semitism, I believe there is still racism, I believe there is still anti-LGBTQ, I believe it," he said.

But it was a comment in which Cuomo quoted a New York Times article from over the weekend that had some believing the governor crossed the line. Part of that article was about Italian Americans from Sicily and slurs that were used against them.

"Were called quote-on-quote — and pardon my language, but I'm just quoting the Times — "N-----wops, 'N-word wops,' as a derogatory comment," Cuomo said in an interview on WAMC's The Roundtable with Alan Chartock.

 

The governor's use of the word drew immediate condemnation from critics, who said he should know better than to say that word aloud.

"It definitely should be avoided in all contexts," said Christina Greer, of Fordham University. "You know, I was disappointed, but at the same time there is a never a necessity to use that word, especially from someone who is a public official, especially from someone who is not Black American."

Cuomo's comments were said in the context of a flap between him and Mayor BIll de Blasio over a statue of the Italian American Saint Frances Cabrini. First Lady Chirlane McCray is leading an effort to honor historic women with statues around the city, but she did not choose Cabrini despite her receiving the most votes in a nominating contest.

After McCray and de Blasio were criticized for the snub, Cuomo suddenly inserted himself into the controversy and said the state would fund a new statue of Cabrini. De Blasio has also said he will push for Cabrini in the next round of statues.

Carl Heastie, the first African American speaker of the New York State Assembly, defended his fellow Democrat. Heastie said the governor was quoting a New York Times article, and he took no offense whatsoever. Other lawmakers also defended Cuomo, whom did not apologize for the remark.

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