According to New York State campaign finance records, Democratic New York State Assemblymember and close Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn ally Jaime Williams donated $500.00 to the New York State Conservative Party on March 6, 2026 from her Assembly campaign account. The Explanation Code was “Fundraising Event.” A month earlier on February 3, 2026, Williams received a donation from Bichotte Hermelyn for exactly the same amount of $500.00.
Williams was just elected unopposed as AD-59 District Leader, to the Brooklyn Democrats Executive Committee. She is succeeding Roxanne Persaud in the District Leader seat—commencing in September, she will be District Leader alongside Frank Seddio in AD-59.
According to local sources, Williams is a protege of Seddio and a long-time ally of embattled Brooklyn Democratic Party Chair Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn. Coincedentally, the incumbent Brooklyn Dems Party apparatus even used large campaign posters for Williams and Seddio to block the windows of their recent meeting to change the party rules, allowing them to keep power after losing their majority on the Executive Committee in the recent primary elections.
Separately, she just won the Democratic primary for re-election for her State Assembly seat, against Jibreel Jalloh. AD-59 encompasses the South Brooklyn neighborhoods of Canarsie, Georgetown, Plumb Beach, Mill Basin, Marine Park, and Gerritsen. Williams also appeared on the Conservative Party ballot line.
While it is unorthodox for an incoming District Leader to donate to Conservative causes, the by-laws of the Brooklyn Dems do not expressly forbid it as an ethics violation.
New York State Conservative Party
Founded in 1962, the New York State Conservative Party platform includes opposing abortions unless in circumstances of danger to the mother, supporting stop and frisk, repealing the Red Flag law, opposing state efforts to eliminate student debt, opposing same day voter registration and no-excuse mail-in voting, supporting ending the ban on fracking in the Southern Tier, opposing including transgender people as a protected class, and supporting legislation that would shield “religious institutions from being required to recognize/perform marriages that are not within their traditional definition of marriage,” which would allow them to oppose gay marriage, among other platform planks.
The Conservative Party is also supporting Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Bruce Blakeman against incumbent Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul, along with hundreds of other Republican candidates across New York State this cycle.
When asked if Governor Hochul had any comment on a Democratic lawmaker providing material financial support to a Conservative institution activity opposing her candidacy, the Governor’s campaign team did not respond.
This is not the first time Williams has supported right wing causes. She endorsed Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa in the 2025 general election instead of Democrat Zohran Mamdani. Williams was previously mistaken for a Republican by US Congressperson Alexandria Ocasio Cortez.
When asked by State of the Left how she squares being a Democrat with providing material financial support to a Conservative institution that opposes most basic planks of the Democratic Party platform and supports Republican candidates in direct opposition to Democratic candidates, Williams did not respond.
New Kings Democrats President Tony Melone said to State of the Left: “This is Frank and Rodneyse’s vision for the Brooklyn Democratic Party: a party that works with Republicans instead of fighting them, and a party whose top priority is protecting incumbents, even after the voters voted for change in 8 out of 9 district leader races this year.”
This article will be updated with any responses received.