Brooklyn Democratic Party Boss Frank Seddio is trying to oust one of his own district leaders, deepening a rift between the two, sources say.
Seddio threatened to run someone against Greenpoint District Leader Nick Rizzo, because the northern Brooklyn pol is not toeing the party line.
Rizzo and other members of the New Kings Dems, which has been needling Seddio for ethics reforms for months — met with the party boss on Jan. 26, and that’s when Rizzo says Seddio went off on him.
“It wasn’t ‘Fall back in line or I’ll run someone against you’ — it was, ‘F— you, I’m running someone against you,’ ” Rizzo said. “Frank now views me as a threat to his power or as someone who just doesn’t toe the line all the time so he’s going to eliminate me. He got very, very, very angry with me and called me some names and made it crystal clear that ‘You are not my friend, I do not respect you.’ ”
Rizzo says Seddio wants his head on a platter because his group is pushing reforms and because he backed failed insurgent and fellow New Kings Dem Emily Gallagher during last year’s district leader races — instead off longtime Seddio ally Linda Minucci.
But Seddio said the exchange was not that heated and is charging that he wants Rizzo out because Rizzo failed to do his job and nominate judicial delegates for the 50th Assembly District that he represents — one of very few responsibilities outlined in the unpaid district leader’s job description.
“No I told him that he was an idiot, and doesn’t deserve to be a leader, and failed as a leader to do his job,” said Seddio. “The 50th Assembly District had no judicial delegates. He failed on doing his job.”
But backing Gallagher over Minnuci may have stung Seddio more than he was willing to admit this paper — he griped about it while attacking Rizzo on WNYC back in November.
“Could it be possible that he indicated at some point in time that he was going to support the slate of Joe Lentol as Assemblymember, and Linda as district leader and him as another?” Seddio told the radio station. “I don’t know it might just be some fantasy I had.”
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Former mayor David Dinkins has backed former Human Rights Commissioner Patricia Gatling in her bid for district attorney. The lawyer and former prosecutor faces acting District Attorney Eric Gonzalez and prosecutor Marc Fliedner — who helped convict Police Officer Peter Liang for fatally shooting Akai Gurley in 2014 — and potentially faces rumored candidates Councilman Vincent Genitle (D–Bay Ridge) and Brooklyn Bar Association past-president Arthur Aidala.
