New York City Council Members Spar Over Attendance
Council members Oswald Feliz and Chi Ossé exchanged public criticisms on X regarding their committee meeting records.
Updated on Oct. 20, 2026 in Civic Engagement
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New York City Council members Oswald Feliz and Chi Ossé are trading barbs on social media following the publication of attendance statistics by the outlet Intro.NYC. The records show high absence rates for both officials at committee meetings held throughout 2026.
Why it matters
The public dispute highlights internal tensions regarding member performance and the transparency of legislative duties in New York City. Ossé defended his absence record by citing travel across New York State to advocate for a state takeover of ConEd.
Data from Intro.NYC indicates Chi Ossé missed 22 of 68 committee meetings, while Oswald Feliz missed 32 of 98 committee meetings throughout 2026. Ossé also missed four legislative meetings.
The players
Oswald Feliz
He is a New York City Council member representing the 15th District who publicly questioned his peer on attendance metrics.
Chi Ossé
He is a New York City Council member representing the 36th District who defended his attendance by citing external advocacy efforts.
The details
Oswald Feliz utilized the platform X to highlight the attendance data, prompting a public response from Chi Ossé. The dispute centers on the comparative attendance figures released for members of the 51-person city council.
Timeline
October 2026: Council members Oswald Feliz and Chi Ossé exchanged criticisms regarding attendance records.
2026: Legislative and committee meetings occurred throughout the year.
Political Context
This dispute reflects ongoing debates regarding the transparency of elected officials and the enforcement of the New York City Council Rules of Procedure regarding meeting attendance. Critics often argue that public tracking of such metrics is essential for holding representatives accountable to their constituents.
The public airing of these statistics allows constituents to scrutinize the activity levels of their elected representatives in New York City. Residents can use this data to evaluate how their council members prioritize legislative sessions versus external advocacy.
The takeaway
Transparency tools like attendance databases provide voters with measurable evidence of how their officials spend their time in office. Understanding these metrics helps residents make informed decisions during city elections.
Further reading
For more on local government transparency, visit the New York City Civic Engagement section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by News 12 - Brooklyn.
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