After claiming in court that she lived in a basement apartment and bathed out of a sink within the confines of the 59th Assembly District while her five children lived blocks away, 19th Senate District Candidate Merced Narcisse last week abruptly abandoned her plan to also run for for the female Democratic district leadership position so she can continue running against incumbent State Sen. Roxanne Persaud in the overlapping districts.
The 59th AD covers Canarsie, Georgetown, Mill Basin, Marine Park and Gerritsen Beach. The Senatorial district includes a bigger swath of Canarsie as well as East New York and parts of Brownsville and Sheepshead Bay.
Narcisse’s decision came following a three day court trial that was moved to Queens after Kings County Supreme Court Judge Edgar Walker recused himself from the case because of his past relationship with Kings County Democratic Party Chair Frank Seddio, one of the petitioners to knock Narcisse off the ballot for district leader in the upcoming Sept. 13 primary. Seddio is also the male district leader in the 59th AD.
“Mercedes Narcisse talks about integrity and then she lies to constituents about where she’s living. This is not the kind of person that should be in public office,” said Seddio.
Joining Seddio as petitioners to knock Narcisse off the ballot for district leader were Persaud, 59th District Assemblywoman Jaime Williams and Sue Ann Partnow, who is running for 59TH AD Female District leader.
Named as respondents along with Narcisse were Spencer Cineus and Nicholson Pierre – both of whom were running at one time or another as part of Narcisse slate for male district leader in the 59th AD.
Transcripts of the case revealed that Narcisse repeatedly said she lived in a basement apartment of a building she co-owns at 96-02 Avenue L and is in the 59th Assembly District, while her five children lived a good distance away at 105-18 Avenue L, which is in the 19th Senatorial District but not the 59th AD.
After a three-day trial, in which Narcisse appears to give a number of contradictory statements on where she lives, she agreed to have both her name and Cineus’ name dropped off the ballot for district leaders, but she will remain on the ballot for the 19th District Senatorial race.
Although the litigation was strictly about Narcisse running for the district leader position, she claimed victory because she does live in the 19th Senatorial District.
“Now that we have claimed victory over these phony and erroneous claims, I look forward to continuing to fight for an empowered, enfranchised, and victorious community. I am confident that these actions will ensure that our neighborhoods will serve as a haven of hope for our children and families. I look forward to your vote and our progressive work together,” said Narcisse in an emailed statement.
The litigation completes a long falling out between Narcisse, Seddio and Persaud. Seddio is the Godfather of one of Narcisse’s children and she cut her political teeth as a member of Canarsie’s powerful Thomas Jefferson Democratic Club, in which both Seddio and Persaud are members.
Persaud says she is baffled that Narcisse would try to lie about her address to run for district leader and her entire campaign is based on cronyism.
“I’ve always considered her (Narcisse) a friend, who wroked togther with the community,” said Persaud, the former 59th District Assemblywoman and president of the 69th Police Precinct Community Council. “She always praised me for the work I do, and then she turns around and says something otherwise. It doesn’t make sense.”
