A former Brooklyn assemblyman who was accused of conspiracy and health care fraud is eyeing a political comeback and is busy gauging his support for a potential City Council or Borough President run in 2021, insiders claim.
Alec Brook-Krasny — a former Assemblyman in Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights and Coney Island — has been calling local leaders to see if they’d support him running for a seat in Borough Hall or in Council representing his old Coney Island district currently held by term-limited Mark Treyger, sources claimed.
“He gave me a couple of ideas and asked me what I think about it,” said a civic leader in southern Brooklyn, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Brook-Krasny vacated his Council seat in 2015 to become the chief financial officer at a Sheepshead Bay laboratory clinic, the Post reported. Two years later, prosecutors arrested Brook-Krasny and 13 others for their connection to a drug scam that allegedly defrauded Medicare and Medicaid and sold more than 6.3 million pill prescriptions to patients, who then hawked the drugs on the black market.
Prosecutors from the Special Narcotics Prosecutor claimed that the leader of the scheme — a doctor who pled guilty to all 16 charges — directed patients to Brook-Krasny’s clinic, where he allegedly scrubbed evidence of alcohol consumption from the tests, allowing the pill-pushing ringleader to prescribe opioids to heavy drinkers despite the health risks.
In September of 2019 after a months-long trial, Judge Maxwell Wiley declared a mistrial on three counts of bribery — arguing that the Special Narcotics Prosecutor didn’t have jurisdiction to prosecute non-drug-related charges — and a jury acquitted Brook-Krasny of his conspiracy and fraud charges, the Brooklyn Eagle reported.
Despite his recent legal troubles, Brook-Krasny admitted that a run for office may be in the cards on Feb. 3, although he would not specify which office he’d prefer.
“I’m considering it,” he said, adding that he’s still speaking locals to gauge their interest in his candidacy. “I only want to run if people would be ready for me and want me to run.”
Some local leaders said the candidacy will be a waste of Brook-Krasny’s time, and were disappointed he was even considering it.
“I was disappointed with him. I said it’s almost impossible,” the anonymous insider said.
However, others threw their support behind the longtime former elected official and noted that the distant 2021 races give Brook-Krasny plenty of time to win over his constituents.
“Alec is an exceptional person and would make a great comeback as an elected official,” said Carlos Scissura, a ceremonial member of the Kings County Democratic Party.
