New York Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn announced on Monday that she will not seek another term as chair of the Brooklyn Democratic Party after leading the party for six years, a period marked by internal conflicts.
“I’m moving on to the next chapter of my life, and I’m proud of the work we’ve accomplished. We’ve established a strong organization,” she noted during her appearance on NY1’s “Inside City Hall.”
Additionally, the central Brooklyn lawmaker mentioned plans to broaden the party’s executive committee to allow more everyday Brooklyn residents to have a voice.
“I’m excited to leave behind a party that’s stronger, more inclusive, and more transparent. That’s really important to me,” she said.
Bichotte Hermelyn’s unexpected announcement follows a recent effort to implement a rule change aimed at securing her position while a progressive faction within the party was gaining momentum.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani criticized her for trying to “avoid the voters’ will” with her proposal to significantly increase the number of voting members who would decide on the next chair.
A coalition of reform-minded Democrats, the New Kings Democrats, captured 22 district leader seats in the June primary. This was significant enough to potentially displace Bichotte Hermelyn from her long-held position if she had not chosen to resign.
“I oppose these changes proposed by the current chair because they seem like an attempt to bypass what voters clearly want,” Mamdani remarked on Aug. 24.
The New Kings Democrats even took legal action against Bichotte Hermelyn over her attempts to alter party rules, seeking a court order to block the changes that eventually passed.
Concerns about the timing of this rule change were reflected by various officials, including state Party Chair Jay Jacobs, New York Attorney General Letitia James, and Senator Chuck Schumer.
“With how the June Democratic primary results unfolded, changing the rules at this stage just doesn’t sit right,” Schumer stated.
The contested changes, which included increasing executive committee members from 42 to 68, gained the necessary votes for approval last month, potentially giving Bichotte Hermelyn a chance to remain in her position despite setbacks from the New Kings Democrats.
Now, with her decision not to run for reelection, the leadership of the party is left open to new contenders.
This announcement comes shortly after an investigation revealed that Bichotte Hermelyn, former party chair Frank Seddio, and their supporters had received $190,000 in donations and payments from over 90 judges and judicial candidates since Seddio took over the local committee in 2012.
Critics have labeled these contributions as part of a pay-to-play system for party nominations, asserting that it undermines the impartiality of the judicial process. Others contend that judicial candidates feel compelled to attend party events and pay for expensive tickets, or risk losing their nominations.
“When judges seem reliant on political backing from party organizations, it seriously harms public trust in the judiciary,” remarked Ben Weinberg, public policy director of Citizens Union, a watchdog group.
