Brooklyn Dems host breakfast to support Harris/Walz ticket

The Brooklyn Democratic Party hosted a fundraising breakfast Monday morning in support of Vice President Kamala Harris. Their party breakfast at usual haunt Junior’s – of cheesecake fame – attracted a plethora of elected officials from across New York City to rally the troops for Harris and battleground congressional candidates. But that didn’t include most of the advertised headliners. 

Officials from four of the five boroughs attended the event to show their support. That included at least three citywide candidates for office – state Sen. Jessica Ramos, who is running for mayor, and comptroller candidates Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine and Assembly Member Jenifer Rajkumar. New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, a Brooklyn native, also made an appearance, the only city or statewide elected official to attend the event.

But several top players were missing from the breakfast fundraiser. Notably, Mayor Eric Adams did not make an appearance, despite being part of the event advertising. Assembly Member Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, who is also chair of the Brooklyn Democratic Party, told supporters that he got tied up at City Hall and could not make it. Soon after she said that, federal prosecutors announced the arrest of two former high-ranking FDNY officials on corruption and bribery charges. A usual mainstay at Brooklyn Democratic events, state Attorney General Letitia James also did not show up to the breakfast, despite being on posters for it. Neither did Gov. Kathy Hochul, whose public schedule placed her in Albany for the day. Congress was in session on Monday, and Brooklynite Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the House minority leader, couldn’t make it either.

Still, the many no-shows did not dampen the mood of Democrats who came and dined on bacon and eggs in support of Harris. “Many prosecutors want to speak out on behalf of Kamala Harris, because prosecutors typically do not get involved in elections – but this is a very different case,” said Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez. “This is – many of us believe an existential threat to our democracy.”

Williams, a progressive who has butted heads with more moderate party leadership, stressed the importance of unity, even among those on the left who may have qualms with Democrats. “Staying home is supporting Trump, whether or not it's fair to hear that, whether or not that's something you want to hear,” Williams said. He expressed sympathy with those “people who think like me, who are disgruntled,” though did not explicitly mention pro-Palestinian activists who have grown increasingly frustrated with Harris over her rhetoric regarding the war in Gaza and refusal to support an Israeli arms embargo. Some activists have even called on people not to vote for Harris, while the national Uncommitted movement has simply withheld its endorsement. “Please take that anger, take it to the voting booth and make sure that that man does not become president of the United States of America,” Williams said.

The Brooklyn Democrats have been helping put together weekend bus trips to support battleground congressional candidates in the Hudson Valley and Long Island, as well as the presidential ticket in the swing state of Pennsylvania. “We have an excited coordinated campaign that we are working on,” said Assembly Member Latrice Walker, who serves as the secretary of the state Democratic Party. She said that the party is “asking everyone to participate in this coordinated campaign” before discussing upcoming bus trips that attendees could sign up for.