Members of the Brooklyn Teen Republican Club (BTRC) rallied in front of embattled Assemblymember Pamela Harris’ (D-Coney Island Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights) Bay Ridge office yesterday to call for her resignation in light of several federal indictments the lawmaker faces.
The crew, of just under a dozen, chanted, “Lock her up,” in front of 8525 3rd Ave. Some hailed signs denouncing the Harris including one that read, “shame” plastered over a popular scene of the assemblymember exiting court the day of her indictment. The President of the 25-member organization led the group with an opening statement.
“Hear us loud and clear Pamela Harris, it is time for you to resign,” said BTRC President Batya Goldberg. “Corruption has no place in New York City and in Brooklyn. Just like Sheldon Silver went, Pamela Harris needs to go.”
Harris is accused of misappropriating city and federal funds. In January, federal officials indicted the assemblymember for pocketing over $23,000 in City Council discretionary funding between August 2014 and July 2015. At the time, Harris served as the director of a not-for-profit organization – the Coney Island Generation Gap. A portion of the 11-count indictment stems from her alleged misuse of FEMA money during the Superstorm Sandy recovery period,
More than two months later, Harris remains a paid sitting assembly member despite reportedly, having skipped the beginning of the Albany legislative session.
Republican District Leader Raimondo “Ray” Denaro of the 47th assembly district was also in attendance and spoke to Harris’ FEMA fiasco.
“[Superstorm Sandy victims] were trying to figuring out how they’re going to get back into their houses and get their children back a little sense of normalcy,” said Denaro. She was trying to figure out where her next vacation was going to be with taxpayer dollars.”
Denaro released a statement late January asking for the assembly member to resign. But he and BTRC have been lone advocates on the front to ask Harris to step down. Lawmakers, both Republican and Democratic have been silent on the matter.
Goldberg said she was not bothered that elected officials have not backed their efforts to demand Harris’ resignation.
“I am not concerned because I have people here today from the Republican party, people here from the committee that are supporting my club and supporting this effort to demand that she resign,” said Goldberg. “So I have no worries.”
BTRC currently serves 25 members and was charted January 2017.
