Before we get to this week’s links, a PSA for Brooklyn-based subscribers! I don’t know how many of you actually live in Brooklyn — for some reason I seem to have a bunch of German subscribers ?? — but I’m going to guess that a significant portion live somewhere between Green Point and Prospect Park South. If you’re one of the Germans you can skip ahead.
Attention Brooklyn-based subscribers: Early voting started on Saturday in the Democratic primary election in New York City, and in Brooklyn the most consequential races might be over “District Leader” positions — the offices that vote on the party leader, as well as staff the board of elections and help choose judges. The City has a more detailed overview of the fight between the incumbents and reformers; the bottom line is that the party is currently run as an Adams-allied patronage machine, and a coalition spearheaded by the progressive group New Kings Democrats is attempting to gain control of enough district leader positions to reform elections, increase transparency, and improve the pool of Democratic judges. The group, called Brooklyn Can’t Wait, is running 20 candidates across Brooklyn; in response, the party establishment has been forging signatures and stripping appointment powers from potential opponents.
If you live in Brooklyn, I urge you to look up your Assembly District here and see if a Brooklyn Can’t Wait-endorsed candidate is running in your district. The same fight between reformers and the establishment party is playing out in the election of judicial delegates; check here to see the reform candidates in your AD. Brooklyn Can’t Wait has a good FAQ about their goals and project here. The City has been closely covering the Brooklyn Democratic Party’s shenanigans. Early voting runs until June 26; election day is June 28.
Now: Links!
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