Clarke ‘Unofficially’ Sworn In

By COLlive reporter

Yvette Clarke, the U.S. Representative for New York’s 9th congressional district, was unofficially sworn in at the Federal Courthouse in downtown Brooklyn Monday in a community-based ceremonial event.

Because of redistricting, swallowing up an area most recently occupied by Bob Turner, and Anthony Weiner before him, Clarke’s district is incredibly diverse, both culturally and economically, Sheepshead Bites said.

It now includes much of central Brooklyn, including Brownsville, Crown Heights, East Flatbush, Flatbush, Kensington, Midwood, Prospect Heights, Prospect-Lefferts Gardens and Park Slope.

An indication of her broad range of constituents was the diverse group of public officials and community leaders who were in attendance.

Among them were: U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer, Congressmen Hakeem Jeffries and Gregory Meeks, NYC Comptroller John Liu, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, Councilman Domenic Recchia, NY State Senator Eric Adams and Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer.

Attending from Crown Heights was, of course, her Community Liaison Eli Slavin and also Chanina Sperlin who directs governmental affairs for the Crown Heights Jewish Community Council and Shimon Hertz, Executive Director of Shalom Senior Center.

The invocation was given by Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, executive vice president of the New York Board of Rabbis.

Also present were Leon Goldberger of Agudath Israel of America and Avrohom Kahn, Director of Development of Council of Jewish Organizations (COJO) of Flatbush.