Bensonhurst Native To Run For Brooklyn Borough President

Ever since Councilman Domenic Recchia announced last month that he wouldn’t be seeking the borough president’s seat, the race to replace term-limited Marty Markowitz grew quiet. State Senator Eric Adams appeared to have it all locked up.

Enter Bensonhurst native and attorney John Gangemi, a former councilman-at-large who says he’s the right man for the beep’s office.

“I think Marty did a heck of a job, but there’s more to Brooklyn,” Gangemi told City & State, which broke the story. “Brooklyn needs a lot of work with the infrastructure, with the legislation, with projects, and that’s what I want to involve myself with, that type of activity. I have time, I do practice law, but I have time now to do my part for the community.”

When asked whether he would be able to match Markowitz’s relentless visibility, appearing at every event he possibly can make, Gangemi said that while he respects Markowitz, he would have a different style of leadership.

“There’s visibility and then there’s visibility,” he said. “I think Marty is great, but that was Marty’s thing. I have a different thing, I’m in the courts. I’m always trying to be creative in my presentation of the law, the arguing of the law, and I’m more of a law person, although I’m not adverse to cutting ribbons.”

Gangemi said he has looked at the credentials of his opponent Adams and finds him “formidable”, but that, “He doesn’t have the experience I have.”

In the 1970s, Gangemi served in another borough-wide office, that of councilman-at-large. The position represented the entire borough in the City Council until it was eliminated in the 1980s.

Gangemi, 73, also served as an assistant District Attorney and assistant Attorney General, and last year mulled a run to unseat Congressman Michael Grimm.