POLITICS
DSA Takes NYPD Budget Fight to Lawmakers’ Homes
Out gay Queens Democrat’s allies condemn actions honed in crucible of LGBTQ activism
BY MATT TRACY
After members of the
Democratic Socialists of
America (DSA), pressing
their demands for
defunding of the NYPD, descended
on the homes of two lawmakers
— Daniel Dromm, an out gay
city councilmember from Queens,
and his Brooklyn colleague Laurie
Cumbo — both lawmakers voiced
criticism of the demonstrations
and allies rushed to Dromm’s corner,
even some who have employed
similar protest tactics in the past.
One or two dozen DSA members
were seen rallying outside Dromm’s
home June 18 in a demonstration
during which they asked him to
trim the NYPD’s budget in half,
from $6 billion to $3 billion.
Dromm, who holds the powerful
role of fi nance chair on the Council,
reacted with fury, accusing two
of those protesters of taking things
a step too far.
“I’m calling on @AOC to condemn
this action,” Dromm said in
a tweet. “Totally inappropriate to
do this outside my home. As they
screamed, ‘Daniel, you either come
down or we’ll come up’ two @nycDSA
members entered my building
& began pounding on my apt.
door demanding to be let in. Porter
threw them out.”
Dromm, clearly resentful that
his progressive credentials were
being challenged, asked one DSA
member, “Are you one of those
Brooklyn Trust Fund babies?”
That prompted Twitter user
Michael Latin to retweet a video
showing Dromm saying that he
takes “umbrage at being labeled
anti-cop. I come from a cop family.
My uncle was a sergeant in the
department, my grandfather was a
lieutenant in the department…”
Over in Brooklyn, DSA members
led by out gay State Senate hopeful
Jabari Brisport held a demonstration
on the street outside the home
of Council Majority Leader Laurie
Cumbo, against whom Brisport
had mounted a Green Party/ Socialist
Party challenge in 2017.
Brisport and DSA members called
on Cumbo to similarly commit to
cutting $3 billion from the NYPD
and shift that money into housing,
education, and healthcare.
She did not answer, so they left
a note on her door signed by the
NYC DSA’s Racial Justice Working
Group.
Cumbo was also unhappy with
the demonstration, writing in a
tweet, “@JabariBrisport that’s
what we doing? As the Black Mother
of a 2 yr-old son you come to my
home again or anyplace where I
am with my son with a bullhorn &
you too will be met with a group of
protesters & they won’t be gentrifi
ers.”
Cumbo then accused Brisport,
who could make history by becoming
the fi rst out gay Black member
of the State Legislature in the race
to succeed retiring Brooklyn Senator
Velmanette Montgomery, of using
his demonstration for political
gain, writing, “Don’t use the BLM
Movement as a publicity stunt for
your upcoming election.”
“Oh wonderful, so glad we got
in touch,” Brisport tweeted in response.
“As you saw in the video,
this was a peaceful rally that started
with a thank you and ended
with an invitation. We left the following
letter at your door. Please
peruse and sign at your leisure.”
Cumbo also took a particularly
tough poke at Brisport, writing,
“A real Black Man from Brooklyn
would never roll up at a Black
woman’s home with her child with
a bullhorn.”
It was unclear whether Cumbo
was questioning Brisport’s racial
authenticity, his masculinity,
or his “Brooklynness” — or some
combination of the three.
As Dromm and Cumbo voiced
their unhappiness about the protests
targeting them, political fi gures
from across the fi ve boroughs
heaped praise on Dromm in a clear
show of force to defend the longtime
Queens political leader. Among
many who put out tweets praising
Dromm included Councilmembers
Stephen Levin and Mark Treyger of
TWITTER/ @NYCDSA
Jabari Brisport, an out gay State Senate hopeful in the June 23 Democratic primary, with a contingent
of Democratic Socialists demonstrating outside Council Majority Leader Laurie Cumbo’s home in
Brooklyn on June 18.
NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL/ WILLIAM ALATRISTE
Daniel Dromm, the out gay chair of the City Council Finance Committee, was also a target of protest on
Thursday evening, at his Queens home.
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