NYS Democrats Attempt to Rid Brooklyn of Two Hispanic Female Congresswomen with Redistricting
We live in a gerrymandered district. For most of my life, I didn’t know that. A few years ago, I learned about it when Justin Brannan and Andrew Gounardes cried about gerrymandering online.
The Democrats are attempting to crush Nicole Malliotakis and Nydia Velázquez with their gerrymandering plan for redistricting in Brooklyn.
Gerrymandering happens when district lines for a community are drawn going up and down blocks, rather than drawing straight lines around a neighborhood. Politicians want to get more voters that represent the political party in their district and get rid of voters that are opposite their party.
Currently, Bay Ridges district lines were made by the Republicans, so the Democrats SHOULD be doing the right thing and drawing better district lines. But they are not (See District 10 in the map below).
Their plan involves SUPER GERRYMANDERING BROOKLYN in areas where no one is watching them, like in poorer immigrant neighborhoods.
The purple line that is circled in red is the new CD -11.
NYS Democrats think no one will care because Hispanic people are busy working and not playing on social media, where all the conversation about redistricting exists.
The new district lines are spreading our Congressional District into Park Slope. Rumors are that it is either because Democrats like Robert Carroll (Source) or former mayor Bill de Blasio will run against Malliotakis.
Update 2/2/22: DeBlasio is thinking about running for Congress:
Staten Island doesn’t have enough people for a Congressional District, so it needs some in Brooklyn. But lumping Sunset Park and Park Slope with the district instead of Bensonhurst is ridiculous.
This change in district lines has Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez living in Jerry Nadler’s area, so she would have to move in order to run for Congress again. It’s a purposeful way to make sure that immigrants and first generation citizens in Sunset Park don’t get representation in government.
NYS Democrats think Brooklyn needs white men to be in Congress.
Sunset Park is 47% Hispanic and 32% Asian. These citizens do not need a white man to represent them and tell them what they need.
In 2020, this area fought against Industry City. Many City Council members Nydia Velázquez spoke out for them. Men in adjacent districts (like Senator Gounardes) were silent and did not hear the people and their needs.
You won’t see Andrew Gounardes and Justin Brannan calling out for fair district lines because women politicians are under attack. Years ago, these men had a backroom deal that was noted in a newspaper. Brannan and Treyger banned together to help Gounardes. (See here) No male politician spoke up for Mathylde Frontus. Frontus had no problem speaking out for herself and a lot of community support.
Andrew Gounardes stands to benefit from the district line being redrawn.
Bay Ridge is connected to Park Slope on the Senate map as well. Andrew Gounardes has a lot of campaign contributions from that district, even though he doesn’t currently represent that area.
Gounardes only contribution on this topic is to play on Twitter:
Last year, Justin Brannan quietly gave $50,000 of our tax money to NY Law School to teach about redistricting. Reporter, Jaime DeJesus failed to mention that spending in his article about Brannan’s spending (See here)
Who learned about redistricting from NY Law School that Brannan paid for with our money:? State government politicians should be calling out the gerrymandering and the attempt to cancel Latina politicians in NYC. Lawyers for immigrant communities should be calling for fair representation in Sunset Park with Nydia Velázquez.
Redistricting is easy if you aren’t a jerk. Draw lines on a map to divide the neighborhood. Stop making SUPER gerrymandered maps because you are afraid of losing.
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Hugs,
marlene
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