Brooklyn Dems meeting cut short amid disorganization and delays

Ironically, it’s called an “organizational meeting.” But disorganization and delays ruled the night at the Brooklyn Democratic Party’s gathering that happens every two years to formally set up the county committee. It started nearly three hours late, due to poor planning and technical difficulties, and only a single vote got done before the “useless” meeting had to end for the night, just before 11:15 p.m., when the lights turned off at the Coney Island Amphitheater. Attendees debated whether to blame incompetence, or party regulars’ tactics to discourage debate and reforms. Either way, the meeting was cut short, which means the committee will have to reconvene and do it all over again before Oct. 6. It was another embarrassment for Brooklyn Democratic Party boss Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, just like two years ago when a virtual meeting went 13 hours, then broke, and reconvened for another 13 hours to undo some reforms that got done in the first part. Bichotte Hermelyn was expected to be reelected leader by the party’s executive committee Wednesday night after the meeting. Despite months of rumors that she would step down or lose reelection, it looked like no serious contender would even put their name up against her.  But since the organizational meeting got cut short, the meeting of district leaders – and her reelection for another two-year term – had to be postponed too.