A Democrat from Brooklyn who infamously bit a cop’s hand at a homeless shelter protest — after which had protesters affiliated with Communist China rally to her assist — has arrange a authorized protection fund to pay her attorneys, The Put up has realized.
Councilwoman Susan Zhuang (D-Brooklyn) has filed documents with the city council on conflicts of interest confirming that she has created a authorized protection belief, a controversial mechanism that permits her to simply accept donations in a way much like political campaigns – to pay authorized charges.
Zhuang stated the proceeds will probably be used to cowl her authorized prices from the myriad legal costs she faces, together with assault and resisting arrest after she allegedly sank her tooth into The hand of NYPD Deputy Chief Frank DiGiacomo throughout a July 17 protest in opposition to proposals for a Bensonhurst shelter.
The protection fund’s tactic was used by Mayor Eric Adams final yr to cowl authorized charges associated to federal investigations into his 2021 mayoral marketing campaign, however is in any other case uncommon in New York.
It is mind-boggling that Zhuang is elevating cash to defend herself after she was caught on digital camera barging her tooth into the officer, one metropolis council member stated.
“Susan has to lift cash for a separate authorized protection fund as a result of she is aware of she’s responsible,” the supply quipped. “However I am undecided what sort of particular person would donate to such a trigger.”
Hundreds gathered for Juan in March on July 28, the place the occasion flyer listed a cellphone quantity for John Chan, who runs a Chinese language Communist Social gathering-affiliated nonprofit, Asian American Neighborhood Empowerment, as a contact.
On the time, Zhuang tried to distance himself from Chan’s group and the organizers of the July 28 rally. WeChat messages beforehand obtained by The Put up confirmed the councilor advising protesters on how one can act on the demonstration and what indicators to hold.
In November, Chan led an effort to silence the cries of protesters in San Francisco awaiting Xi Jinping’s arrival who claimed their kinfolk had been harmed by the Chinese language authorities, The San Francisco Commonplace reported.
He additionally reportedly sponsored a small group of state meeting Republicans to make a journey to China to satisfy with CCP leaders a month later.
Zhuang confirmed to The Put up that she took a “household journey” to China final month, however strongly denied what she known as “rumors unfold by [her] political opponents” that Chan accompanied her on the tour.
Requested if he had met Zhuang in China, Chan stated “I do not know” and hung up on a reporter.
Aiming Feng, one of many three trustees of Zhuang’s protection fund, additionally insisted that the adviser’s journey to China was only a “household journey”.
Latest online petition addressed to Mayor Adams, Council President Adrienne Adams and Councilwoman Sandra Ung, chair of the ethics committee, urged them to censure Zhuang.
“I implore you to take instant motion to carry Councilwoman Zhuang accountable,” reads the petition, which had 123 signatures as of Friday.
Along with Adams and Zhuang, former Mayor Invoice de Blasio has additionally expressed curiosity in establishing a authorized protection belief to assist pay a $300,000 lawyer’s invoice associated to a federal investigation into his personal political fundraising.
However de Blasio by no means created one — even after the Metropolis Council handed laws in 2019 creating the brand new fundraising mechanism.
