{"id":11322,"date":"2025-08-12T22:01:04","date_gmt":"2025-08-13T02:01:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/multi.nycnewsnetwork.com\/eastnewyork\/?p=11322"},"modified":"2025-08-13T10:35:52","modified_gmt":"2025-08-13T14:35:52","slug":"east-new-york-leaders-slam-brad-lander-for-statement-that-sparked-racist-hatred-toward-black-owned-business","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nycnewsnetwork.com\/eastnewyork\/east-new-york-leaders-slam-brad-lander-for-statement-that-sparked-racist-hatred-toward-black-owned-business\/","title":{"rendered":"East New York Leaders Slam Brad Lander for Statement That Sparked Racist Hatred Toward Black-Owned Business"},"content":{"rendered":"

New York City Comptroller Brad Lander\u2019s recent comments have sparked outrage in East New York, where local leaders say he falsely accused a respected Black and Veteran-owned restaurant of \u201cwasting three quarters of a million dollars in taxpayer funds\u201d on Department of Education\u2013approved catering. The business, Fusion East, is now dealing with threats and reputational harm\u2014despite years of providing healthy, affordable meals to more than 100 public schools, many in disadvantaged neighborhoods. The fact is, Fusion East is a ceritfied MWBE vendor, which means schools throiughout NYC go into the DOE vendor system and have the option to order from Fusion East or any of the many food vendors on the list.\u00a0 Schools choose to order food from Fusion East because he serves quality food at great prices. He earned $750k last year<\/a> from orders from over 100 schools throughout New York City.<\/p>\n

A Call for Help Turns Into a Public Attack<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Fusion East owner Andrew Walcott says the trouble began when he contacted Lander\u2019s office for help collecting nearly $20,000 in unpaid DOE invoices. Instead of assistance, he was sent back to the DOE and later saw his request turned into a public statement by the NYC Comptroller’s office, that painted his work as wasteful.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is angering that a citywide elected official, whose office has championed the need for increased spend between the city and MWBE contractors, who claims to care about our communities, would attack a well-respected local MWBE business with an exaggerated claim of waste, misrepresenting the work of a business with a years-long record of stellar service provision to several NYC agencies,\u201d said Council Member Chris Banks, according to a media release on NYC Newswire<\/a>. \u201cFusion East has provided tens of thousands of healthy meals to students, teachers, and first responders\u2026 at a cost far below the amounts allowed by Comptroller\u2019s Directive 6 regulations. Comptroller Lander\u2019s framing demonstrates a level of cultural incompetence of the foods our community values, resulting in at least one threat against the business. This is highly irresponsible behavior from a sitting citywide elected official.\u201d<\/p>\n

Banks added that the statement has the optics of \u201cappearing racially based.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Councilman Chris Banks, Assemblywoman Nikki Lucas, Fusion East Owner Andrew Walcott and Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce CEO Randy Peers at Press Conference – photo credit: NYC Newswire<\/p><\/div>\n

Local Leaders See Political Motivation<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Assemblywoman Nikki Lucas, who represents the 60th Assembly District, said, \u201cBrad Lander\u2019s misleading statement is disgraceful. It seems to have fueled a racist firestorm that targeted a successful Black-owned business in East New York with hate, lies, and threats. It looks like a calculated attack to destroy Fusion East, a restaurant in my district that\u2019s served good food at fair prices to over 100 schools.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lucas continued, \u201cWe need to support our local businesses, not make them targets of hate. Fusion East provides jobs and a much-needed dining option for the community. Yet Lander\u2019s statement made it sound like Fusion East earned $750,000 from one school, a claim that\u2019s simply false. This undermines the MWBE program he claims to support and exposes him as a hypocrite\u2026 The reality of it all is that you Brad Lander continue to benefit off the pain of Black people.\u201d<\/p>\n

She suggested the move may have been politically motivated, aimed at hitting Mayor Eric Adams over \u201cMayoral oversight\u201d while ignoring the harm to a small business in her district. \u201cA hit on a business in the district is a hit on the people in the district,\u201d Lucas said.<\/p>\n