James Oddo is the Republican Minority Leader in the New York City Council. He got caught on a YouTube video swearing at a mock Norwegian film crew.
He is one of three Republicans serving on the Council and is from Staten Island...
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James Oddo is the Republican Minority Leader in the New York City Council. He got caught on a YouTube video swearing at a mock Norwegian film crew.
He is one of three Republicans serving on the Council and is from Staten Island.
James Oddo has a B.A. from Fordham University and a J.D. from New York Law School.
According to Wikipedia, he started in politics by working as Chief of Staff to then-councilman John Fusco for seven years and as Legal Counsel to the former Council Minority Leader Thomas Ognibene. He was first elected in February 1999 in order to fill the seat vacated by John Fusco, and has always been reelected since. After the resignation of Ognibene, he was elected Minority Leader of the City Council with the consent of the three other Republicans on the Council in 2002.
Councilman James Oddo received attention after an incident in his office involving his being interviewed by a group of mock serious comedians from Norway.
On October 4, 2007, the interview (with a crew from the Norwegian comedy show "Rikets røst" ("Voice of the Realm"), hosted by comedian Otto Jespersen) appeared on YouTube. The comedians had told Oddo they were TV journalists from Norway who wanted to get the view of a republican on the upcoming U.S. presidential election. Instead, the interviewer, Pia Haraldsen played the role of an uninformed foreigner. She asked how Barack Obama could run for president, as he is not a U.S. citizen (she said she read somewhere he was "African-American") and asked if Senator Clinton could be president ""after that embarrassing incident with a cigar?"
In the edited video, the councilman swears at the camera crew and orders them from his office. Explaining his actions, Councilman Oddo said he regretted the strong language he used, but that he felt justified to end the interview.
“My language was inappropriate, I'm apologetic for it, I regret it,” said James Oddo. “I don't regret the sentiment. In fact, I think that people across the country will see that I reacted the same way any Staten Islander walking down Hylan Boulevard would have reacted.” He was mock interviewed by a Norwegian comedy television show earlier this month. When he found out that the interview was mock, and done to make fun of him, he ordered the crew out of his office. When they didn't immediately leave, he began to swear and curse. The video has been circulating on YouTube.
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"It could be hurtful in that everyone expects their representatives to be civil. However, it is tough to be civil when you’re being set up,”New York Democratic consultant and lobbyist George Artz told the press. “This is such a miniscule issue. It won’t affect anybody, and he was scammed.” Heck, New Yorkers might actually like the guy even more for swearing at the mock Norwegian news crew....
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Wikizines are interactive magazines that anyone can create or edit - and this one is called "James Oddo". Here you can find fresh voices and respond in real time. Some members write articles about recent news and trends related to the wikizine's topic, others recount relevant personal stories or share their favorite pictures and video clips. Got an interesting idea or story to share with other members of this wikizine? Well, then put on your journalist's cap and add your own article!
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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The Associated Press is projecting City Councilman James Oddo the winner of the Mid-Island race. Oddo, a Republican, had 76 percent of the vote with 68 of 127 precincts reporting. Challenger James Pocchia had 24 percent....
Staten Island Councilmember James Oddo (pictured) knows how to get votes. He poses today for the Staten Island Advance on "the 'worst street' on Staten Island," where paving is finally being done thanks to his intercession. Oddo declared Grasmere Avenue...
New York Daily NewsCouncilman Steven Fulop rips Jersey City as 'belly of the beast' for corruptionNew York Daily News... proclaimed himself an independent voice because he is the only Jersey City elected official who didn't run on Democratic Mayor Jerramiah Healy's ticket. ...and more »
Advance photo/Councilmen James Oddo (R-Mid-Island/Brooklyn), left, and Vincent Ignizio (R-South Shore) speak at the Hampton Inn, Bloomfield, during a gathering on the "Promoting a Healthy Lifestyle on Staten Island" conference. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Educating parents can play an important...
NEW YORK -- Heavily favored Democrat Bill de Blasio has been elected New York City's ombudsman. With 23 percent of precincts reporting, de Blasio had 77 percent of the vote. The former city councilman faced Republican Alex Zablocki. He's an...
NY-23 wasn’t the only race on Tuesday night in New York, city residents also voted to fill a vacant city council seat to work alongside that bastion of conservatism Mike Bloomberg. A Republican won the seat; Dan Halloran became the first openly pagan city councilman.
James S. Oddo (born 1966 ) is a Republican politician from Staten Island , currently serving as Minority Leader in the New York City Council . He is one of three Republicans ...
Miami Herald - An obscenity-laced video of a city councilman kicking a Norwegian interviewer out of his office has drawn a bigger audience than he's ever had at City Hall. The video of New York Ci