Inna Vernikov
Member of the New York City Council
from the 48th district
Assumed office
December 1, 2021
Preceded byChaim Deutsch
Personal details
Born (1984-08-30) August 30, 1984
Chernivtsi, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union (now Ukraine)
Political partyDemocratic (before 2020)
Republican (2021–present)
EducationBaruch College (BA)
Florida Coastal School of Law (JD)
WebsiteOfficial website

Inna Vernikov (born August 30, 1984) is an American attorney and politician serving as a member of the New York City Council for the 48th District. The Minority Whip of the City Council, her district includes the neighborhoods of Brighton Beach, West Brighton Beach, Manhattan Beach, Gravesend, and parts of Midwood and Sheepshead Bay in Brooklyn.[1][2][3] Formerly a Democrat, Vernikov is a member of the Republican Party.

Early life and education

Vernikov was born in Chernivtsi in Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union (now southwestern Ukraine), to Jewish parents. She attended ORT Specialized School #41, a Ukrainian Jewish day school. At age 12, she immigrated with her family to the United States.[4] She received a BA from Baruch College and a JD from Florida Coastal School of Law.[5]

Career

Vernikov served as an aide to New York State Assemblymember Dov Hikind. Prior to running for City Council, Vernikov was an immigration and divorce lawyer.[4][6]

New York City Council

Campaign

Previously a registered Democrat, Vernikov switched parties and became a Republican to run for office and after seeing the rise in antisemitism and what she sees as socialism in New York City.[4] She is a supporter of Donald Trump.[7] While campaigning, she said “Jews coming from the former Soviet Union are very familiar with communism and socialism, and many of us feel strongly that what today’s Democratic Party is promoting is exactly what we ran from—a place where speech was censored, where we were not allowed to practice religion, where we didn’t have freedom or economic opportunity.”[4]

Vernikov received the support of the district's former councilman Democrat Chaim Deutsch (who had been expelled from the council after pleading guilty to tax fraud), and was endorsed by Donald Trump Jr. (who made a robocall on her behalf).[8] She was elected to the City Council after defeating the Democratic nominee Steve Saperstein. She became one of five Republicans in the 51-member council, and the first Republican to represent a portion of Brooklyn in the New York City Council since Marty Golden in 2002.[7][9]

Council member

As a councilwoman, Vernikov organized a rally against COVID-19 vaccine mandates in New York City outside Gracie Mansion in Manhattan.[10] She had also organized a march against antisemitism after two Jewish teenagers were assaulted for wearing a hoodie with the logo of the Israel Defense Forces.[11] After the faculty at City University of New York Law School passed a resolution supporting Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel, Vernikov announced she would pull $50,000 in funding for the law school and redirect it towards Legal Services NYC.[12]

She voted against expanding New York’s speed camera program, which issues speeding tickets when a driver exceeds the posted speed limit by 11 or more miles per hour in a school zone.[13][14] In September 2022, it was reported that Vernikov had been caught on camera for repeatedly and recklessly speeding through school zones.[14] She had received 23 camera-issued tickets since mid-2020.[14][15] She had also received 31 other non-moving violations.[14]

In August 2022, Vernikov withdrew her $5,000 donation to the Museum of Jewish Heritage for allegedly banning Florida governor Ron DeSantis from their events, though the museum denied banning anyone.[16] In December 2022, Vernikov called for the national Republican party leadership to condemn Trump for hosting Kanye West and Nick Fuentes at his residence, where West supposedly made repeated antisemitic views.[17]

In March 2023, The New York Daily News published a report revealing that Vernikov sent an email blast, using her official government email account, to constituents soliciting business for $300 martial arts classes offered by Legion Self Defense; her email also included a link for her constituents to sign up.[18][19] Vernikov was the Chair of the executive board of Legion Self Defense, and her biography on the City Council website lists her as “Chair at Legion Self Defense.[18][19] The New York City Charter prohibits the use of public resources for financial gain.[19] Vernikov said that her role is not paid, but New York City ethics rules also prohibit officials from using city resources for non-city purposes.[18][19] Professor Richard Briffault, a former Chairperson of the New York City Conflicts of Interest Board, said Vernikov likely violated the government's ethics law, stating: "That’s a clear violation of conflict rules."[20][21]

On October 13, 2023, Vernikov was arrested on charges of criminal possession of a firearm after bringing a gun to a pro-Palestinian rally by Brooklyn College's campus.[22] Vernikov had accused the protestors of supporting Hamas following the start of the 2023 Israel-Hamas war, and claimed the rallies would make CUNY campuses unsafe for Jewish students.[23][24] The charges were later dropped by the Brooklyn District Attorney over a lack of proof that the gun was operable, citing a lab report that the gun was unloaded and missing its recoil spring assembly.[25]

References

  1. ↑ "Inna Vernikov Legislation". intro.nyc.
  2. ↑ Glueck, Katie (November 2, 2021). "Republicans show signs of life in some City Council districts". The New York Times.
  3. ↑ "District 48". Inna Vernikov.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Robinson, Heather (May 26, 2021). "Fed up with socialism and anti-Semitism, attorney seeks to clean up New York City". Jewish News Syndicate. Retrieved November 4, 2021.
  5. ↑ "Inna Vernikov". lawyer.com.
  6. ↑ "About Inna Vernikov – New York Divorce & Immigration Attorney". Law Offices Of Inna Vernikov. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  7. 1 2 Tress, Luke (May 10, 2022). "Jewish NYC politician pulls donation to Holocaust museum over alleged DeSantis snub". The Times of Israel.
  8. ↑ Smith, Rachel Holliday; Michel, Clifford; Welch, Will (November 3, 2021). "City Council Adds Historic Number of Women to Its Ranks as Republicans Gain". The City.
  9. ↑ Brachfeld, Ben (November 3, 2021). "REPUBLICAN INNA VERNIKOV WINS SOUTH BROOKLYN COUNCIL SEAT AMID STRONG GOP SHOWING CITYWIDE". The Brooklyn Paper.
  10. ↑ "Councilwoman Vernikov To Hold Anti-Mandate Rally". Shorefront News. December 13, 2021. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
  11. ↑ DeJesus, Jaime (January 1, 2022). "Vernikov to lead march against anti-Semitism". Brooklyn Reporter. Retrieved June 16, 2022.
  12. ↑ Starr, Michael (May 29, 2022). "NYC Councilwoman pulls CUNY law school funds over anti-Israel stance". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
  13. ↑ Kuntzman, Gersh (May 26, 2022). "Amid Epic Crisis of Road Deaths, Some Members of the City Council Still Oppose Speed Cameras". Streetsblog New York City.
  14. 1 2 3 4 Kuntzman, Gersh (September 15, 2022). "Trump-Loving Anti-Camera Pol Has 23 School-Zone Speeding Tickets!". Streetsblog New York City.
  15. ↑ "How's My Driving NY". howsmydrivingny.nyc.
  16. ↑ Tress, Luke (May 10, 2022). "Jewish NYC politician pulls donation to Holocaust museum over alleged DeSantis snub". Times of Israel.
  17. ↑ Cohen, Haley (December 5, 2022). "Trump dinner with antisemites was 'breaking point,' Jewish former allies say". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  18. 1 2 3 Chris Sommerfeldt (March 26, 2023). "NYC Councilwoman Inna Vernikov used government email to solicit business". The New York Daily News.
  19. 1 2 3 4 Brodner, Curtis (March 26, 2023). "NYC Councilmember Inna Vernikov used official email to promote business, potentially violating ethics rules: report". Audacy.
  20. ↑ Sedor, Jim (March 31, 2023). "News You Can Use Digest; NYC Councilwoman Inna Vernikov Used Government Email to Solicit Business". State & Federal Communications.
  21. ↑ "NYC Councilwoman Inna Vernikov used government email to solicit business". MSN. March 26, 2023.
  22. ↑ Coltin, Jeff (October 13, 2023). "New York City Council Member Vernikov arrested for gun possession after rally". POLITICO. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
  23. ↑ "Council Member Arrested for Bringing Gun to Protest Against Pro-Palestinian Campus Rally". The City. October 13, 2023. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
  24. ↑ "NYC Councilwoman Inna Vernikov arrested for bringing gun to pro-Palestine protest". New York Daily News. October 13, 2023. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
  25. ↑ "NYC Council member who brought gun to rally will have charge dropped". politico. November 18, 2023.
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