A lefty at a Catholic legislation faculty is below hearth for publicly and profanely insulting the chief of New York’s practically 3 million Catholics.
St. John’s College Legislation College pupil Vishal Balani — who works part-time for the New York Yankees — allegedly posted on X on Feb. 22 that Timothy Cardinal Dolan is “sickening.”
“Pope Francis is a model of Catholic love, servitude and grace. You are a bootlicking disgrace with your nose up Donald Trump’s ass,” the submit mentioned, in line with NYC Councilman Robert Holden, who has been monitoring the screeds.
Balani has additionally been relentlessly ripping conservative pols on X for for over a yr, Holden advised The Submit.
Balani, 26, who graduated from New York College in 2022 with a bachelor’s in sports activities administration and began legislation faculty in August, has since taken his Dolan submit down.
However Holden fired off a letter Monday to Jelani Jefferson Exum, the legislation faculty’s dean, alleging Balani’s “fitness for the legal profession” is in severe query.
Balani ripped Holden, a conservative Queens Democrat, on X as a “scumbag,” “two-bit sanctimonious sleazebag” and alleged the term-limited pol’s “legacy in the @NYCCouncil will be one of standing by and cheering on the rise of authoritarianism in the country.”
Balani additionally referred to as Councilwoman Vicky Paladino (R-Queens) “pond scum,” a “Proud Boys-loving political hack” and a “sickening Trump bootlicker,” in addition to seven different previous and current councilmembers “cranks” and “grifters.”
“His conduct not only contradicts St. John’s Jesuit values, but also questions his fitness for the legal profession, necessitating your immediate review and disciplinary response,” Holden advised the dean.
Balani’s X account was shut down days after Holden formally lodged a criticism.
The councilman additionally wrote an identical letter Monday to the human assets division of the New York Yankees, the place Balani works as part-time particular occasions staffer, demanding he be disciplined for probably violating conduct insurance policies for MLB staffers.
“The Yankees are a cornerstone of New York’s community, valued for the professionalism and integrity,” Holden wrote. “Your Social Media Policy (MLB Social Media Policy) surely prohibits such conduct.”
Balani’s LinkedIn profile highlights him as a “resourceful sports business professional contributing to major sporting events and improving lives through the power of sport.”
It notes he started working for the Yankees in “Stadium Tours & Special Events” three years in the past and beforehand labored as occasion staffer at professional tennis occasions. He’s additionally labored as an intern for the Home of Representatives and was a marketing campaign volunteer for Lengthy Island Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi.
Balani declined remark, and St. John’s and the Yankees didn’t return messages.
Nevertheless Aryn Sobo, the Yankees vice chairman of Human Sources, wrote Holden an electronic mail he shared with The Submit saying, “although [Balani] denied being responsible for the cited posts, we encouraged him to be thoughtful and respectful when posting, and he assured us he has and will continue to do so.”
She mentioned it’s but to be decided whether or not Balani violated social media insurance policies.
