Former Obama aide Stuart Seldowitz, who worked as a national security adviser, was arrested and charged with a hate crime after directing an Islamophobic rant at a halal cart vendor in New York City. Seldowitz, 64, was caught on video repeatedly harassing the vendor, Mohamed Hussein, and making derogatory comments about his religion and ethnicity. The incident, which occurred on the Upper East Side, went viral on social media, leading to widespread outrage and calls for legal action against Seldowitz.

During Seldowitz's Thanksgiving Day arraignment, he was charged with two counts of stalking as a hate crime and one count of aggravated harassment. Assistant District Attorney Jordan Gwynn described the verbal assault as "unprovoked and unwarranted." The videos showed Seldowitz referring to Hussein as a terrorist and accusing him of supporting the killing of children. In one of the recordings, Seldowitz even asked Hussein if he had raped his daughter, comparing him to the prophet Mohammed. The court granted a full protection order against Seldowitz, as requested by the Manhattan District Attorney's Office.

Seldowitz's attorney, Scott Bookstein, argued that his client was not an Islamophobe and claimed that the allegations were inconsistent with Seldowitz's beliefs. Bookstein emphasized that Seldowitz was a "peace-loving person" and urged the court, the prosecution, the media, and the public to understand his client's true character. However, the videos clearly showed Seldowitz's abusive behavior towards the vendor, contradicting his attorney's claims.

Hussein, the halal cart vendor, expressed his intention to sue Seldowitz for harassment and hate speech. His boss and cart owner, Islam Moustafa, echoed this sentiment, considering Seldowitz's actions as hate speech rather than free speech. Hussein, who is a US citizen originally from Egypt, felt intimidated by Seldowitz's behavior and was fearful due to his connection to the government.

The incident took place over the course of several encounters between Seldowitz and Hussein. Seldowitz's verbal attacks were relentless, and he targeted Hussein on four different occasions. One of the videos showed Seldowitz mocking Hussein's English proficiency and belittling him for working at a food cart. The videos also revealed that Seldowitz displayed an Israel pin while accusing Hussein of supporting Hamas and the killing of children.

Following the release of the videos, Seldowitz's employer, Gotham Government Relations, a lobbying firm, cut all ties with him, denouncing his actions as "vile, racist, and beneath the dignity of the standards we practice at our firm." Mayor Eric Adams and Governor Kathy Hochul condemned Seldowitz's Islamophobic behavior, emphasizing that such rhetoric had no place in New York City.

Seldowitz, who has previously worked in high-ranking positions within the US State Department and the National Security Council, admitted to being the person in the viral videos. He expressed regret and apologized for his actions but denied being an Islamophobe. Nevertheless, his arrest and the public backlash against him have resulted in significant consequences, including the loss of his job.