Manhattan Democratic Party

“Today, we applaud the fine men and women of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, led by the incomparable Alvin Bragg, for their diligent and professional work in seeking justice and accountability on behalf of our county, our state, and the entire nation — all in the face of attacks and threats encouraged by the very same former president who makes history today as the first to be criminally convicted,” said County Leader Keith L.T. Wright.

“Let this be a reminder that no one is above the law; and that while republicans back 34-Count Trump who doesn’t believe in democracy, our Party continues to govern for the people.”

“We are all incredibly saddened by the recent passing of District Leader Louise Dankberg, an active fighter for our democracy whose dedication to our shared values made her a beloved friend to so many across the county,” said County Leader Keith L.T. Wright.

“Over the years, Louise has become the bedrock of our county party, serving her community and the broader Democratic family in so many ways, alongside her loving and equally dedicated husband. We offer our condolences to her family, friends and all who have been blessed to know our beloved Louise over the years. We will miss her dearly. May her memory last and her impact strengthen us all.”

District Leader Sandro Sherrod (AD74 Part C) offered the following:
It is with a heavy heart that I share the news of the passing of Louise Dankberg, a cherished member of our community and a dedicated Democratic district leader from New York City. Louise’s commitment to public service and her leadership at the Samuel J. Tilden Democratic Club were an inspiration to us all.

Louise served with distinction as the political leader of the Samuel J. Tilden Democratic Club, where she worked tirelessly to uphold the values of democracy and always strived to get an even more diverse and progressive judiciary for New York.

As we mourn her loss, we also celebrate her remarkable legacy—a legacy that will undoubtedly continue to influence the fabric of our community for years to come. Louise’s unwavering spirit and dedication to the Samuel J. Tilden Democratic Club have left an indelible mark on our hearts and our district.

We extend our deepest sympathies to Louise’s family, friends, and all who were fortunate enough to know her. May her memory be a beacon of hope and a reminder of the difference one person can make in the lives of many.
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Join the Manhattan Democratic Party for our Spring Gala!

As we gear up for this monumentally important election season, it’s more important than ever that our local parties have the resources necessary to organize and win. Join many of our Manhattan elected officials and party leaders for dinner and drinks at the gorgeous View at Battery Park, right on the water.

Stay tuned for information on how to purchase tickets or join the host committee! Details will be updated on our Spring Gala 2024 webpage.

Monday, June 17th
6pm-9pm
The View at Battery Park, 1 Battery Place in Manhattan
Tickets will include dinner and drinks

On behalf of the Manhattan Democratic Party, County Leader Keith L.T. Wright and Judiciary Co-Chairs Curtis Arluck and Louise Dankberg, we sincerely thank the 2024 Civil Court Independent Judicial Screening Panel and its administrator for their diligent work, and we congratulate all the candidates. As per the report of the 2024 Civil Court Independent Screening Panel, the following candidates have been identified as most highly qualified:

Civil Court
Harold Bahr
Ilona Coleman
Allison Greenfield
Malaika Scott-McLaughlin
Elizabeth Y. Shamahs
Mark H. Shawhan
Alice Tam Tien
Ralph L. Wolf
Eric Justin Wursthorn
Crystal R. Villasenor
*Hon. J. Machelle Sweeting
*Hon. Louis Nock

*Incumbents

“I have known Inez Dickens for the greater part of my life. As a neighbor, friend, partner and colleague in government, she has always been a staunch fighter for Harlem,” said County Leader Keith L.T. Wright. “Inez is one of the fiercest advocates I’ve had the pleasure to know and work with. During her time in the New York City Council, she was able to secure unprecedented resources for our community institutions like Harlem Hospital, A. Philip Randolph Houses, and the National Urban League Headquarters. Inez succeeded me in the New York State Assembly and saw to the completion of the Studio Museum of Harlem and the Victoria Theatre. Her motives have always been rooted in making sure our community not only survived but thrived. I have nothing but respect and admiration for her dedication and service to our city and state. I wish nothing but the best for Inez and I will continue to work with her for the betterment of our beloved Harlem.”

The New York County Democratic Committee, having previously announced the formation of an Independent Screening Panel to report on the qualifications of candidates seeking the nomination of the Democratic Party for: Civil Court Countywide (two vacancies); First Municipal Court District (one vacancy); Second Municipal Court District (one vacancy); Fifth Municipal Court District (one vacancy); and three (3) incumbents running for re-election to Civil Court, which will be filled in the November election. We are proud to announce that the screening panel for Civil Court 2024, administered by Attorney Lauren A. Jones, consists of:

Brian Karalunas | Armenian Bar Association
Pang-Mei Natasha Chang | Asian American Bar Association of New York
Ronak Patel | Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund
Elizabeth Malang | Brehon Law Society
Katherine Rosenfeld | City Club of New York
Anthony Mastroianni | Columbian Lawyers Association
Altagracia Nunez | Dominican Bar Association
Caroline Marshall | Fortune Society
Aubrey Hurse | Greater Harlem Coalition
Sonica Dixon | Haitian American Lawyers Association of New York
Ted Anastasiou | Hellenic Lawyers Association
Farimah Ghaffari | Iranian Bar Association
Andrew Johnson “A.J.” Mallon | Jewish Lawyers Guild
Christine Kim | Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York
Robert H. King | Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Bar Association of Greater New York (LeGaL)
Shirley H. Smith | Mid-Manhattan Branch of the NAACP
Stephen Louis | New York Law School
Gabriela Pulla | New York State Trial Lawyers Association
Sharday Urtarte | New York Urban League
Claire Mooney | New York Women’s Bar Association
Joshua Goldstein | NYC Bar Trusts, Estates and Surrogate’s Court Committee
Andres Orejuela | P.A.’L.A.N.T.E. Harlem
Elena Makau | Puerto Rican Bar Association
Perry Shusterman | Women’s Trial Lawyers Caucus

UPDATE: December 23, 2023
The governor has signed A05366/S05414 into law, creating one (1) additional countywide Civil Court vacancy. The 2024 Independent Screening Panel will screen for this vacancy as well.
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The New York County Democratic Committee has announced the formation of the 2024 Independent Screening Panel to report on the qualifications of candidates seeking the nomination of the Democratic Party for: Civil Court Countywide (one vacancy); First Municipal Court District (one vacancy); Second Municipal Court District (one vacancy); Fifth Municipal Court District (one vacancy); possibly one (1) additional Civil Court Countywide vacancy should the governor sign A05366/S05414 into law; and three (3) incumbents running for re-election to Civil Court, which will be filled in the November election. The heads of numerous bar associations, community organizations and law schools have been invited to nominate members of the panel, which will be directed to report a total of no more than the three (3) most highly qualified candidates per vacancy.

Candidates for the Court may obtain applications from Mr. Kyle Ishmael, the Executive Director of the New York County Democratic Committee, via email at judiciary.manhattandems@gmail.com. The deadline for submitting completed applications is January 4, 2024 at 5pm. Questions concerning this year’s panel should be directed to Mr. Ishmael via email.

This notice will be updated once the status of A05366/S05414 is known.

“On behalf of Democrats across the county, I offer our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the esteemed former District Leader Ken Sherrill. He was a Pioneer, and scholar, and a trusted friend we will miss dearly,” said County Leader Keith L.T. Wright.

District Leader Joan Paylo (AD69 Part B) offered the following obituary:
A great American, the pioneering political scientist and former 69th AD Democratic District Leader Ken Sherrill has died. The first openly gay official to win an elective office in New York State, he was 81.

His former students, friends, associates and the political reporters who sought him out for quotes and wisdom knew him as a gifted and brilliant scholar who was genuinely kind, generous, witty and a loyal Mets fan.

Ken’s groundbreaking research and analysis on the role that LGBTQ+ voters play in American politics won him national recognition and established the field as mainstream. In 1973, he was the first person to present empirical research on gay rights at the annual meeting of the American Political Science Association. He was an expert witness in several cases before the US Supreme Court. He also wrote the PoliSci 101 classic “Power, Policy and Participation: an Introduction to American Government.”

From 1996 to 2005, Ken chaired the Political Science Department at Hunter College. His CUNY career spanned 41 years as a professor and later Professor Emeritus. Before that, he had earned his PhD from UNC at Chapel Hill and taught at Oberlin College. Until his passing, he continued to speak around the country and to mentor past and present students, supporting them through career and life challenges.

His fellow members of West Side Democrats consider him a guide and an inspiration. He served as a Community Free Democrats District Leader in Jerry Nadler’s Assembly District from 1979 through 1983, leaving behind some great stories from his unprecedented street campaign.

Our heartfelt condolences go out to his husband and life partner for almost 60 years, Gerald Otte.

Contributions in his memory may be sent to The Ken Sherrill Prize Fund at the American Political Science Association (apsanet.org/sherrill).
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On Wednesday, November 1, 2023, the Executive Committee of the Manhattan Democratic Party unanimously adopted the following resolution in favor of the ‘No Cap Act’ (A05366) sponsored by Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal and Assemblymember Alex Bores.
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WHEREAS, the ‘No Cap Act’ (A05366), introduced in the New York State Assembly by Assemblymember Alex Bores, removes the limit on Supreme Court Justices by population in New York State; and

WHEREAS, this one-line amendment to the New York State Constitution would strike the current cap of one judge allotted per 50,000 residents, a limit first imposed in 1925; and

WHEREAS, the complexity and volume of cases before the 1st Judicial District, serving New York County, today is far beyond what any lawmaker could have imagined during the Coolidge Administration; and

WHEREAS, this amendment seeks to address the immense case backlog The Supreme Court of the State of New York faces, particularly in Manhattan, where we have long been at the maximum number of justices and desperately need the opportunity to appoint more; and

WHEREAS, the status quo, in which the 1st Judicial District has been forced to borrow judges from other jurisdictions to help alleviate this snowballing burden, is untenable; and

WHEREAS, as representatives of our community, we know there is a real human cost to the growing case backlog, as those awaiting trial are stuck in limbo as court, legal fees pile up, divorce cases linger unresolved wreaking havoc on families, and the victims of crimes, and their loved ones, experience sleepless nights as they seek resolution; and

WHEREAS, this legislation, which has now passed the New York State Senate with overwhelming support, carried by Judiciary Committee Chair Senator Hoylman-Sigal, is a necessary measure long overdue which we cannot afford to delay further; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, as the Executive Committee of the New York County Democratic Committee, we affirm our support for Assemblymember Bores’ No Cap Act (A05366), and urge the New York State Assembly to bring to a vote this critical legislative relief for our overtaxed judicial system, for we know justice delayed – is justice denied.

“Our Manhattan Democratic Party is saddened by the recent passing of Ralph Andrew, a committed community activist who dedicated his life to living out his Democratic ideals and values,” said County Leader Keith L.T. Wright.

“As a long-time supporter of Democratic political campaigns across Manhattan, New York State, and nationally, Ralph saw it all over the decades and made friends across generations, ideologies, and geographies. He was a dear friend, husband, father and grandfather, and our deepest condolences are extended to his family and friends at this difficult time.”

Obituary: Ralph Andrew