Source: New York Post
High-rolling Brooklyn Democratic Party bigwigs raked in nearly $200,000 in campaign donations from judges and judicial candidates in a move critics called a pay-to-play “shakedown” in exchange for nominations. Former Brooklyn party chairman Frank Seddio, current chair Rodneyse Bichotte-Hermelyn and their allies have collected $190,000 in contributions and payments from more than 90 judges and judicial candidates since 2012, when Seddio took control of the local committee, according to records. Insiders claim sitting judges have bypassed rules that are supposed to keep them outside of the partisan campaign process, while others said candidates are pressured to attend party events and pay handpicked vendors — or lose their nominations.
