News & Updates
Stay up to date on our fight for accountable leadership and a safer, more inclusive Brooklyn.
From press coverage to campaign milestones, this is where you'll find the stories shaping Central Brooklyn’s City Council District 39 race.
Antisemitic graffiti has gotten out of control in Park Slope
Antisemitic graffiti is spreading across Park Slope, yet Council Member Shahana Hanif shrugs it off—telling constituents last year she’s “OK” with “Free Palestine” tags. While neighbors scrub hate off walls themselves, Hanif offers weak excuses and empty words. District 39 deserves a leader who protects us—not one who justifies vandalism.
Lander holding back on endorsing incumbent Hanif—even though she’s a former staffer
Mayoral hopeful Brad Lander is dodging the District 39 race amid growing backlash over Hanif’s weak response to antisemitism within her district. His silence speaks volumes as Jewish voters demand accountability—and Hanif's support erodes under pressure from her own progressive base.
Thousands of voters re-register as Dems to vote in NYC mayoral primary
The surge of nearly 7,000 newly registered Democrats is a game-changer in the effort to unseat Council Member Hanif and others. Voters are mobilized, energized, and ready to hold extremists accountable at the ballot box. The previously silent majority is no longer silent—and it’s ready to take action at the polls.
NYC politician funneled thousands of taxpayer dollars to her hubby’s organizations
Council Member Shahana Hanif funneled over $149K in taxpayer funds to nonprofits tied to her husband—without disclosing conflicts of interest. This pattern of self-dealing is unethical and unacceptable #EthicsMatter
Why many Jews Central Brooklyn are mobilizing to vote their City Council representative out of office
Council Member Shahana Hanif has repeatedly refused to stand up to antisemitism—even after vile graffiti defaced a beloved Israeli restaurant in her own district. Now Jewish voters are organizing to vote her out declaring: Enough is enough.
Anti-Israel NYC Council Member Hanif Changes Tune After Primary Challenge from Maya Kornberg
Facing a tough primary challenge, Council Member Shahana Hanif is suddenly scrambling to appear pro-Jewish—after silence about Hamas and hostility toward her Jewish constituents. Voters see through the pandering.
Politico Newsletter: Torres Comes to Brooklyn
Rep. Ritchie Torres joined Brooklyn BridgeBuilders to raise funds to unseat Shahana Hanif over her failure to defend and support her Jewish constituents. With rising antisemitism, voters are demanding leadership rooted in clarity and courage.
Asian immigrant, former Congressional aide launches bid to topple Democratic Socialist Avilés in Brooklyn Council race
Ling Ye, an Asian immigrant and former aide to Rep. Dan Goldman, has launched a spirited campaign to represent Brooklyn’s 38th Council District. A Sunset Park native and pragmatic Democrat, Ye brings a deep personal connection to the district’s immigrant communities and a focus on public safety, quality schools, and responsive leadership. Speaking in English, Chinese, and with Spanish translation, she emphasized her commitment to uplifting working families. With over $24,000 raised in just one week, Ye’s campaign is gaining strong momentum.
Anticipating primary, anti-Israel New York City councilwoman scrubs her campaign site of far-left positions
Facing a tough primary, anti-Israel Councilmember Shahana Hanif is desperately scrubbing her website of radical positions—like defunding the police and abolishing prisons. After years of alienating Jewish constituents and ignoring public safety, she’s now rewriting history to survive a credible challenge from pragmatic Democrat Maya Kornberg.
Brooklyn District 39 Council Member tests the limits of left-wing activism
Facing a serious primary challenge, Councilmember Shahana Hanif is frantically walking back her radical record—deleting anti-police posts, softening anti-Israel rhetoric, and privately apologizing for boosting “globalize the intifada.” Voters aren’t fooled. Her calculated pivot reveals a politician more concerned with survival than principle or the safety of her Jewish constituents.
Trio of Democratic Socialist NYC lawmakers brag of ‘wins’ in budget they voted against: ‘Hilarious hypocrisy’
Democratic Socialist councilmembers Hanif, Avilés, and Cabán shamelessly bragged about budget “wins” they voted against, touting funding they opposed to score political points. Their grandstanding cost their districts influence, exposed blatant hypocrisy, and prioritized performative politics over real leadership. Even constituents are calling out their dishonesty and double-speak.
Brooklyn Legislator’s Jewish constituents feel ‘abandoned, betrayed, endangered’
Council Member Shahana Hanif has betrayed her Jewish constituents, refusing to condemn Hamas, minimizing antisemitic violence, and blaming Israel after the Oct. 7 massacre. Her silence and participation in rallies with extremist rhetoric have left many feeling abandoned and endangered—unfit for someone co-chairing a so-called Taskforce to Combat Hate.
Op-Ed: Brooklyn’s District 39 Council Member Hanif Ignores Jew-hatred
Councilmember Shahana Hanif has shown a shocking disregard for her Jewish constituents, refusing to condemn Hamas, dismissing antisemitic graffiti, and minimizing the trauma of Oct. 7. Her silence and excuses signal complicity. District 39 deserves a leader who protects all communities—not one who justifies hate and endangers her neighbors. Read about the meeting that led Brooklyn residents to declare: Enough is enough.
Brooklyn’s District 39 Council Member Shahana facing primary threat
Council Member Shahana Hanif continues to alienate constituents with her refusal to condemn Hamas and her inflammatory rhetoric, stoking division in a diverse Brooklyn district. In sharp contrast, Maya Kornberg offers pragmatic, unifying leadership focused on safety, accountability, and real results—values that resonate deeply with voters exhausted by Hanif’s extremism.
‘Anti-Israel’ Brooklyn pol co-chairing new ‘Task Force to Combat Hate’
Councilmember Shahana Hanif—who blamed Israel for Hamas’ atrocities and voted against “End Jew Hatred Day”—has been absurdly appointed co-chair of the NYC Task Force to Combat Hate. Her record of excusing antisemitism and aligning with extremists makes her selection a dangerous mockery of the task force’s very mission.
Council Member Hanif and others lose committee chair positions in City Council shakeup
In a stunning rebuke, far-left councilmembers Shahana Hanif, Tiffany Cabán, and Chi Ossé were stripped of their committee chair positions after voting against the city budget. Their grandstanding backfired—leaving them sidelined, powerless, and exposed as ineffective ideologues more focused on virtue signaling than delivering for their constituents
NYC-DSA pro-Palestinian protest slammed as ‘disgusting’ — as two lawmakers arrested
Councilmember Shahana Hanif proudly joined a DSA-led rally filled with antisemitic chants and signs supporting Hamas—a U.S.-designated terrorist organization. Instead of condemning hate, she got arrested and boasted about it. Her actions weren’t about peace—they were a disgraceful display of extremism unfit for public office, especially amid rising antisemitism.
Hanif Supports MS 51 Principal Despite Widespread Complaints from Teachers
Hanif is no friend of teachers. Despite widespread complaints from MS 51 teachers, a union no-confidence vote, and the largest harassment grievance in UFT history, Council Member Shahana Hanif defended MS 51’s embattled principal—accusing his critics of racism instead of standing with the educators and union members who were being harassed, silenced, and pushed out.
Council Member Hanif Dismissed Residents’ Concerns Over Dog Killed in Prospect Park
In August 2022, a woman was attacked in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park by a homeless man wielding a stick, who also fatally injured her dog, Moose. This was not the first time this indivudal had attacked someone in the park. Despite multiple 911 calls and confirmed sightings, the suspect remained free for months, fueling outrage across the city and beyond. Council Member Hanif failed her constituents, showing more concern for the attacker’s well-being than for public safety. Her refusal to also demand action left victims unsupported and the community vulnerable.