These were some biting accusations.
A New York City councilman was slapped with an ethics complaint for allegedly mocking a fellow council member accused of biting a cop during a protest against a homeless shelter.
Brooklyn Councilman Justin Brannan allegedly referred to Councilwoman Susan Zhuang as “Susan Fang” and brought “mock teeth” to City Hall, Asian-American activist Tim Law claimed in a letter obtained by The Post.
“May I remind you that Councilwoman Zhuang is Brooklyn’s first Chinese American Councilwoman and we celebrate that fact. I want to be very clear about this,” said Law, a member of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s New York Asian American and Pacific Islander Commission.
“As an Asian American community leader and as an adult education educator, I am disgusted and deeply offended by this slur against not only Councilwoman Zhuang, but against all members of the Asian American community,” Law claimed in the letter, addressed to City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and Ethics Committee Chair Sandra Ung.
Law, who backed Ari Kagan over Brannan in a Democratic Party Primary last year, claimed the reference to Zhuang was an anti-Asian slur.
“For far too long, many Asian Americans have had to deal with hate crimes and hate speech, from former President Trump calling Covid the China virus to Councilman Brannan mocking Councilwoman Zhuang’s name—which is a slur all too familiar with Asian Americans since many intentionally mispronounce our names to mock our identity,” said Law, founder of the Chinese American Social Services Center in Bensonhurst,
Law also claimed Brannan “proceeded to bring mock teeth to a council press conference to further bully and harass Councilwoman Zhuang.
“Bullying memes on social media, slurs against Asians, and mock teeth at a press conference is the conduct of a hateful bully. It should not be the conduct of a sitting Council Member,” he said.
Law noted that Brannan was the subject of an earlier ethics complaint filed by Charles Ragusa, a Democratic state committee member and district leader who accused the councilman of cursing him out over a political disagreement.
Brannan defended his behavior and shifted the focus back to criminal defendant Zhuang, who was charged with second-degree and third-degree assault and resisting arrest for the clash over a Gravesend homeless shelter.
“Susan Zhuang has been charged with felony assault for biting a police officer on video. This ridiculous letter is nothing more than a desperate attempt by a disingenuous opponent to distract from that inconvenient truth,” a Brannan spokesman said.
“Councilman Brannan is a well known and well documented friend, funder, and fighter for Brooklyn’s Asian community. Sadly, Mrs. Zhuang has shown zero remorse for biting a cop. She should take responsibility for her own actions, stop deflecting, and start by apologizing to the NYPD instead of organizing a parade in her own honor.”
Mayor Eric Adams said last week he was “a little surprised” by Zhuang’s action and arrest, and intended to talk to the councilwoman.
Prominent Asian leaders — including Congresswoman Grace Meng and state Sen. John Liu — declined comment on the ethics complaint against Brannan.
The Asian-American Legal and Education Fund also declined comment.