Brooklyn Dems pass rules to stymie reformers

Brooklyn Democratic Party Chair Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn’s audacious scheme to maintain control of the county party may work after all – despite all the most powerful Democrats in the state expressing dismay.

Her amendments to the party bylaws, meant to block reform District Leader Julio Peña III from becoming party chair, all passed the party’s executive committee by narrow margins in a closed-door meeting Tuesday night. 

“It’s not a win for regulars or reformers — it’s a win for Brooklyn,” Bichotte Hermelyn said in a text message. “Expanding the Executive Committee brings more elected leaders into the process, increases transparency, and strengthens our fight for working families and affordability and (to) stand up against the Trump agenda. When more elected Democrats are involved, everybody wins — not just one faction.”

Reformers aligned with Peña vowed to re-file a suit to block the changes in court Wednesday morning, arguing the manner the rules were changed was illegal. A judge already denied a motion to halt the vote Monday, ruling there hadn’t been any harm yet.

“I’m disappointed, mostly because there was energy in that room and excitement,” Peña said after emerging from the vote. “And it’s disappointing that people are excited to weaken our democracy and to limit the voices of duly elected folks.”

The latest drama started after reformers won a majority of seats on the executive committee in the June election – the culmination of a 18-year reform effort – and declared that Peña had the votes to be the next leader. But that vote won’t happen until late September or early October. So Bichotte Hermelyn proposed amendments to the party bylaws last week to pack the executive committee with her supporters, and convened members of the outgoing executive committee Tuesday night at the Thomas Jefferson Democratic Club in Mill Basin. The reform group New Kings Democrats reported that the eight district leaders who were ousted in June’s election all voted in favor of Bichotte Hermelyn’s rules changes on Tuesday.

Reporters were barred from the closely watched vote. Party aides even covered the storefront club’s windows with sheets of printer paper to block the view from the street. After the meeting, Bichotte Hermelyn went out through the back door and entered a waiting car without giving comment to reporters. 

Bichotte Hermelyn’s plan had been met with intense pushback – immediately, among the reformers and victorious district leader candidates in June – but also more broadly across the state Democratic Party over the last week. Gov. Kathy Hochul, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, state Attorney General Letitia James and state Democratic Party Chair Jay Jacobs all came out against the move, as did Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

“The value of increasing participation by expanding representation on the Kings County Executive board may have its merits and deserves consideration, however, the timing of this change stands to do more damage than good,” Jacobs – hardly a renegade or bandwagon critic – said in his statement last week. 

Hochul, facing reelection this fall, came out against the plot too. “Governor Hochul is opposed to this proposal to rewrite the rules of the Brooklyn Democratic Party,” a campaign spokesperson said in a statement. “Democrats need to be focused on defeating Donald Trump and his MAGA enablers this November, anything else is a distraction – the Brooklyn Dems’ leadership vote should be a fair and transparent process.”

Bichotte Hermelyn hasn’t confirmed whether she plans to run for reelection as leader, or throw her support behind an ally instead. 

“If she ran, I would support her,” said Frank Seddio, the former party leader who chose Bichotte Hermelyn as his successor in 2020. “Yes, absolutely support her if she decides to do so.”