Kings County Politics puts few limits on our reporters, and perhaps contrary to what most J-Schools teach, we encourage all reporters to eat and drink whenever possible, particularly at political events and gatherings we cover.
The only hard and fast rule we put on this, is we must eat and drink at both Democratic and Republican events so as to show no partisanship. Or to paraphrase former NYC Mayor Fiorello H. LaGuardia, “There’s no Democratic way or Republican way to drink either party’s whiskey neat. It all goes down the same way. While it may not make for balanced walking, it does wonders for balanced reporting.
With that said, KCP was proud to kick off the political party season at the Hon. Lori Citron Knipel Annual Holiday Party, which this year was held at the Metropolitan Ballroom 2555 Shell Road in Gravesend.
Knipel, is the female Democratic District Leader from 44th Assembly District covering Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, Kensington and a slice of Ditmas Park. She is a kind and good person and attorney, and her political parties are always enjoyable.
As a district leader, Knipel also has a proven ability to bring key Brooklyn Dems together and bridge gaps between those that may not share the same views – be they progressives, reformers or longtime party mainstays. For example, members from the New Kings Democrats (NKD) were at the party, who are doing outreach in some communities of color for county committee members, as well as Brownsville Democratic District Leaders Anthony Jones and Darlene Mealy, who feel the NKD coming into their district amounts to political gentrification.
These holiday parties are great to network, catch up with political friends and associates, and to shore up or get important support for those seeking higher office.
Among the other electeds attending this soiree, and please forgive us if we forget a few names, included Mayor Bill de Blasio, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, City Council Members Chaim Deutsch, Kalman Yeger and Mathieu Eugene; Assemblymembers Simcha Eichenstein, Rodneyse Bichotte and Jo Anne Simon and District Leaders Doug Schneider, Nancy Tong, Jones, Mealy and Knipel.
Lastly, while Knipel’s holiday party was held outside of her district, it always is a pleasure to attend such an event in Gravesend – which is about as deep into old Brooklyn as one could ever be. In fact some of the bars, bagel joints, pizzerias, Chinese carry outs and delis are well worth the visit.
All in all, Gravesend is well worth an urban adventure for those that want to go off the beaten path.
Hope to see all readers of this post at a holiday party in the near future. And if you spot anybody from KCP stop by and say hello. The drinks are on the hosts – God bless ’em!
Happy Holidays!
