In a video posted on Twitter Tuesday, Brad Lander drew an ideological link between McInnes’ “pro-Western” group, the Proud Boys, and the fatal shooting of 11 congregants at a synagogue in Pittsburgh. | William Alatriste for the New York City Council Council member chides Golden for keeping McInnes facilitator on staff

City Council Member Brad Lander chastised Brooklyn state Sen. Marty Golden for not firing his campaign office manager, Ian Reilly, the Metropolitan Republican Club committee chairman who welcomed avowed Islamophobe Gavin McInnes to the group’s Manhattan clubhouse.

McInnes, a self-described “Archie Bunker sexist" whose group, the Proud Boys, has been designated by the Southern Poverty Law Center as a hate group, visited the Metropolitan Republican Club in 2017 and asked if he could return again this year. Reilly replied to McInnes confirming the event, which resulted in an act of vandalism at the club that drew condemnation from Republicans and street violence that drew recriminations from Democrats.


In a video posted on Twitter Tuesday, Bay Ridge resident Kindeya Chiaro asked Lander to weigh in outside City Hall. The Council member drew an ideological link between McInnes’ “pro-Western” group, the Proud Boys, and the fatal shooting of 11 congregants at a synagogue in Pittsburgh, as well as to the series of pipe bombs recently sent to Democratic figures throughout the country.

“Boy, at this moment, if you can’t stand up and fire a white supremacist-enabler on your staff, you don’t belong in public office,” Lander said.

Reilly declined to comment for this story, but defended McInnes’ appearance to Gothamist, saying "he is part of the right.”

“We promote people and ideas of all kinds from the right,” he said. “We're open to different views. We would never invite anyone who would incite violence."

In fact, violence did erupt on the street after McInnes’ appearance, which included a reenactment of the 1960 assassination of Inejiro Asanuma, leader of the Japan Socialist Party. The event was followed by street brawls resulting in a number of arrests.

Golden has represented much of the southern end of Brooklyn in the state Senate since 2002. He is battling a Democratic challenge from Eric Adams staffer Andrew Gounardes.

In a cease-and-desist letter sent from the law firm Warshaw Burstein to Gounardes last week, Reilly’s lawyer denied that Reilly is a member of what the letter refers to as, “the white nationalist group Proud Boys.”

The letter challenged a fundraising appeal from Gounardes that appeared to refer to Reilly as a member of the group himself.

Golden spokesman Michael Tobman sent a statement defending Reilly and attacking Lander.

“As extensively reported elsewhere two weeks ago, Ian Reilly is the campaign's office manager, and will continue to serve in that role, as he has capably and professionally for several months. He is also Executive Committee Chair of the Metropolitan Republican Club, an old [and] distinguished political club,” Tobman wrote. “That Councilman Lander has raised this issue again, so close to Election Day, reeks of politicking using his official position."

The Gounardes campaign shot back, accusing Golden of condoning racism.

"Marty Golden should cease and desist from employing an individual who defends the anti-semitic, Islamophobic, misogynistic, and xenophobic Proud Boys," campaign spokeswoman Dara Adams said. "In the wake of recent events, Marty Golden's unwavering support for this individual sends a dangerous message that hate and political violence is welcome in our community."