Brooklyn Democratic Party is hit with claims of 'white supremacy' as chairwoman accuses veteran ex-assemblyman of discouraging Asian candidate from running for office

The chairwoman of the Brooklyn Democrat Party is accusing a former state assemblyman of engaging in 'white supremacy' by allegedly trying to discourage the party from backing Asian candidates.

Peter Abbate, who lost his seat in the 'red wave' that hit New York in 2022 to Republican Lester Chang, has been accused of telling the party not to support the candidacy of Pei 'Sanny' Xei Chen Liu.

Liu gained notoriety after she was able to conceive a child with her hero NYPD officer husband Wenjian Liu 31 months after he was fatally shot without as he sat in his squad car in 2014. 

Rodneyse Bichotte-Hermelyn said that Abbate texted her calling their support of Liu for a spot as a party district leader a 'big mistake.'

Susan Zhuang, a city councilwoman, has also accused Abbate of verbal assault and claimed 'I don't think he will do that to a man or non-immigrant.'

Abbate denied having the exchange with Zhuang and Bichotte-Hermelyn's 'outrageous' accusations, responding by saying that they are 'sabotaging' the party. 

The chairwoman of the Brooklyn Democrat Party is accusing former State Assemblyman Peter Abbate (pictured) of engaging in 'white supremacy' by allegedly trying to discourage the party from backing Asian candidates 

Rodneyse Bichotte-Hermelyn (right) said that Abbate texted her calling their support of Pei 'Sanny' Xei Chen Liu (left) for a spot as a party district leader a 'big mistake'

However, Bichotte-Hermelyn insisted Abbate is engaging in racism, telling the New York Post: 'This white supremacy stuff has to stop.' 

Zhuang claims that Abbate got in her face in a way that he would not have for a white person. 

'I was invited by a local community leader to a pre-Sabbath gathering inside a local Southern Brooklyn small business,' she said.

'Suddenly, former Assemblyman Peter Abbate stormed inside and immediately approached me up close, violating my personal space, and began to verbally assault me.'

'I don't think he will do that to a man or non-immigrant,' she argued. 'His sexist, misogynistic, and toxic intimidation tactics will not deter me from fully exercising my democratic rights.' 

The former state assemblyman says that Zhuang is lying and Bichotte-Hermelyn is doing a disservice to their party.

Liu gained made headline after she was able to conceive a child with her hero NYPD officer husband 31 months after he was fatally shot without as he sat in his squad car in 2014

Wenjian Liu, 32, and his partner Rafael Ramos, 40, were gunned down in the car in Brooklyn, just five days before Christmas 2014

Susan Zhuang, a city councilwoman, has also accused Abbate of verbal assault and claimed 'I don't think he will do that to a man or non-immigrant'

'All she is doing is dividing the Democratic Party,' he said. 'She is a disgrace to the Democratic Party. The best thing she could do is resign.'

He cited his past support for Asian American candidates as a sign he wasn't a white supremacist.

He also noted that he'd authored laws to help Liu's daughter after the killing of her husband and said Bichotte-Hermelyn was 'using' her and other Asian candidates to help the party.

'For her to say that is outrageous,' he added.