A Brooklyn politicians fled into oncoming traffic rather than speak with a reporter looking to question her about nepotism at the beleaguered Board of Elections in a bizarre moment caught on tape and broadcast to viewers this week.
NY1 reporter Courtney Gross confronted Brooklyn Democratic chair Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn at the party’s annual pre-election breakfast on September 30.
The journalist said she wanted to ask the assemblywoman about familial relationships between politicians and Board of Elections members for an investigative piece in a series called ‘Ballot Blunders.’
Footage of Hermelyn shows the progressive politician getting up from her table at the famed Junior’s Cheesecake when she was approached by Gross and her video team, then walking across busy Flatbush Avenue and then down the street against traffic to avoid the news crew on the sidewalk.
Gross had wanted to ask about the relationship between BOE Republican commissioner Gino Marmorato and his brother-in-law, Brooklyn Republican Party chairman Michael Rendino – the party is responsible for electing their commissioner
Brooklyn Democratic chair Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn runs into traffic to avoid questions from a reporter
Hermelyn (left) said that Courtney Gross was chasing after an ‘unfounded tip’ that she was related to Board of Elections Democratic Commissioner Rodney L. Pepe-Souvenir (right) and accused her of having a ‘they all look alike to me’ mentality regarding black people
However, Hermelyn had a different account – she said that she had already spoken to Gross regarding her story on nepotism at Brooklyn’s board of elections, and that the reporter ‘refused to air’ that footage
‘[Hermelyn] would rather walk into oncoming traffic rather than address any of the questions we had about patronage and nepotism,’ wrote Gross on her Twitter.
Gross had wanted to ask about the relationship between BOE Republican commissioner Gino Marmorato and his brother-in-law, Brooklyn Republican Party chairman Michael Rendino.
‘It’s a prime example of how things can work at the city Board of Elections, where local party leaders and organizations can install family members, friends, and patrons in plum positions, some with serious power,’ wrote Gross in the piece.
Gross also revealed that the head of Brooklyn’s voter registration is a Staten Island Republican who is also the mother of Vito Fossella, the former congressman and current GOP candidate for borough president, and that the son of the Queens County Republican chair works at the Queens office, earning more than $48,000.
‘Courtney is a respected journalist with a long history of covering issues important to New Yorkers,’ NY1 tweeted. ‘NY1 rejects any implication that Courtney’s reporting was motivated by anything other than the facts’
Gross’ outlet, NY1, took to Twitter to defend their reporter’s behavior, which Hermelyn characterized as ‘unprofessional’
However, Hermelyn had a different account – she said that she had already spoken to Gross regarding her story on nepotism at Brooklyn’s Board of Elections, and that the reporter ‘refused to air’ that footage.
Hermelyn said that Gross was chasing after an ‘unfounded tip’ that she was related to Board of Elections Democratic Commissioner Rodney L. Pepe-Souvenir and accused her of having a ‘they all look alike to me’ mentality regarding black people.
‘Courtney Gross questioned if I was related to a black Board of Elections Commissioner with a similar name based on an unfounded tip,’ Hermelyn wrote.
‘A simple fact-check would have confirmed that we are not related.’
‘Still, she continued her pursuit of the false story. This agitating behavior perturbed me, and when I refused to engage in an interview at the breakfast event for that reason, she continued to follow and question me, then filmed me leaving.’
She said Gross’ piece ‘falsely alluded to [her] Board of Education “patronage and nepotism,” but never mentioned that she was not related to any BOE employees.
‘Although Courtney may not have been aware of it, black people still experience the “you all look alike to me” portrayal, often with harrowing consequences. I advise that Courtney take cultural competency training classes.’
Gross’ outlet, NY1, took to Twitter to defend their reporter’s behavior, which Hermelyn characterized as ‘unprofessional.’
‘Courtney is a respected journalist with a long history of covering issues important to New Yorkers,’ the outlet tweeted. ‘NY1 rejects any implication that Courtney’s reporting was motivated by anything other than the facts.’