New York Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn announced Monday night that she will not pursue another term as chair of the Brooklyn Democratic Party, ending a six-year tenure marked by escalating internal battles.
“I’m now up to my next chapter in life,” Bichotte Hermelyn said during an appearance on NY1’s “Inside City Hall.” “I’ve served as the Brooklyn Democratic Party chair for over six years, and I’m very proud of what we’ve done. We’ve built a very strong organization.”
The assemblywoman, who represents central Brooklyn, said the party’s executive committee will be broadened to create a more inclusive role for ordinary Brooklyn residents.
Bichotte Hermelyn said she was pleased to leave the organization “stronger, more inclusive” and more transparent than when she took over.
Her surprise decision came roughly a month after she advanced a controversial last-minute rules change, as the Brooklyn Democratic Party’s growing left-wing and socialist faction moved to challenge her control.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani accused Bichotte Hermelyn of attempting to “circumvent the will of voters” after she proposed sharply expanding the number of members who would select the next party chair.
New Kings Democrats, a reform-minded group, captured 22 district leader positions in the June primary. Those victories would have given the group enough influence to remove Bichotte Hermelyn from her longtime leadership post had she not stepped aside.
“I very much oppose these proposed changes, by the current Brooklyn Democratic Party chair,” Mamdani said Aug. 24. “I oppose them because they are an attempt to circumnavigate the will of voters.”
New Kings Democrats sued Bichotte Hermelyn over the effort to rewrite the party’s rulebook, asking a Brooklyn Supreme Court judge to stop the changes. The revisions were ultimately approved.
The late-stage rule changes drew criticism from Democrats across the political spectrum, including state Democratic Party Chair Jay Jacobs, New York Attorney General Letitia James and Sen. Chuck Schumer.
“Given the clear results of the June Democratic primary in Brooklyn, the party should not change the rules in the middle of the game,” Schumer said at the time.
Among the approved changes was an increase in executive committee membership from 42 seats to 68. The expansion created a possible route for Bichotte Hermelyn to assemble enough support to remain chair despite New Kings Democrats’ primary gains.
Now that the party leader will not seek reelection, the future direction and control of the Brooklyn Democratic Party are once again uncertain.
Her departure also comes after an exclusive investigation by The Post reported that Bichotte Hermelyn, her predecessor Frank Seddio and their allies had received $190,000 in campaign donations and payments from more than 90 judges and judicial candidates since 2012, when Seddio assumed control of the local party committee.
Critics characterized the contributions as a pay-to-play “shakedown,” alleging they were tied to party nominations and arguing that some sitting judges bypassed restrictions intended to keep them removed from partisan political campaigns. Others claimed judicial hopefuls were pressured to attend party functions and purchase expensive tickets or risk losing their nominations.
“The public’s confidence in the courts is undermined when judges appear dependent on party organizations for political support, endorsements, or advancement,” said Ben Weinberg, public policy director for the government watchdog Citizens Union.
