Brooklyn, NY – Assemblywoman Offers Lukewarm Apology For Anti-Jewish Rant

Brooklyn, NY – An assemblywoman whose constituents include many Jewish New Yorkers is coming under fire after reportedly making anti-Semitic comments at a community board meeting this past week.

The New York Post (https://nyp.st/2GAjglU) reported that Assemblywoman Diana Richardson, whose district includes Crown Heights and parts of Flatbush, went into a lengthy outburst at a Monday night meeting of Community Board 17, speaking disparagingly about Senator Simcha Felder and Jews.

Former City Councilman Lew Fidler said that the first comment came when Richardson acknowledged being tired, blaming her lack of sleep on Felder, referring to last Friday’s lengthy debate on the state budget. Richardson reportedly referred to Felder as “that Jewish senator from Southern Brooklyn.”

Further into the meeting, when one of the meeting’s participants complained about a large number of people coming to her door and asking if she wanted to sell her home, Richardson allegedly said, “It must be Jewish people.”

“That was dripping with anti-Semitism,” said Fidler. “That’s when smoke came out of my ears.”

None of Richardson’s remarks, which also included attacks on Mayor Bill de Blasio and Borough President Eric Adams, were recorded, something that Community Board 17 chairman Barrington Barrett admitted was a mistake. According to Fidler, Richardson asked that the recorder be shut off before she made the comments in question, giving her the ability to make statements that could potentially raise eyebrows.

Richardson released a quasi-apology for her words, noting that she works closely with the Jewish residents she represents in District 43.

“If by any chance or for any reason something I relayed or repeated was misconstrued, and as a result offended anyone in any way, I sincerely apologize,” wrote Richardson. “I see us, all of us as human beings, and at the end of the day, we all bleed red, it was never my intention to insult or hurt anyone nor would it ever be.”

Assemblyman Dov Hikind who described Richardson as a progressive liberal said that he was stunned by the deafening silence that has followed the assemblywoman’s statement.

“I am waiting for all of my progressive friends, the governor, Cynthia Nixon to say something,” Hikind told VIN News. “When you use the word ‘Jew’ or ‘Jewish,’ you have crossed the line. We don’t need elected officials playing that game.”