The Shake-up
New York Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn is officially ending her six-year run as the head of the Brooklyn Democratic Party. She announced on Monday night’s episode of NY1’s “Inside City Hall” that she won’t be seeking another term, stating she is moving on to her “next chapter in life.”
The Drama Behind the Exit
Real talk: the vibes in the party have been off for a while. Bichotte Hermelyn’s announcement comes right on the heels of a massive power struggle. Last month, she pushed through a controversial last-minute rule change that many viewed as a desperate attempt to stay in power against a rising tide of left-leaning, socialist challengers.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the reform-focused group New Kings Democrats were highkey against the move, accusing her of trying to “circumvent the will of voters.” The New Kings Democrats even filed a lawsuit to stop the rule change, which would have expanded the party’s executive committee from 42 to 68 members to help Bichotte Hermelyn lock in more votes. Big names like Sen. Chuck Schumer and Attorney General Letitia James also publicly slammed the timing of these changes.
Why it matters
Beyond the internal power dynamics, the party has been under fire following reports that Bichotte Hermelyn and her predecessor, Frank Seddio, allegedly raked in $190,000 in campaign cash from judges and judicial candidates. Critics have been calling it a “pay-to-play” scheme, arguing that judges shouldn’t be tied to party fundraising to land their spots. With her exit, control of the Brooklyn Democratic Party is now totally up for grabs. It’s giving… a massive power vacuum.
