NYC councilman Justin Brannan slapped with ethics complaint for potty-mouthed tirade

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By Carl Campanile

June 22, 2023 | 8:59pm

A longtime Brooklyn Democratic Party official has filed an ethics complaint against Councilman Justin Brannan — accusing the lawmaker of threatening the official’s position during an expletive-filled tirade, The Post has learned.

“Brannan can’t get away with this. He’s not a nice person. He’s abusive,” railed Charles Ragusa, 69, a retired city public high school teacher who’s been state committeeman and district leader in southern Brooklyn since 1982.

Brannan, the Council’s finance committee chair, and Ragusa are backing different candidates in the Democratic primary in the new majority-Asian 43rd Council District. Brannan endorsed Waiyee Chan; Ragusa supported Susan Zhuang.

Ragusa claimed Brannan launched his potty-mouthed attack during a Wednesday phone call after asking for Ragusa’s endorsement for his re-election in a neighboring district.

Ragusa said it was premature, and that he was unwilling to give any endorsement before the primary, emphasizing he never said he wouldn’t back Brannan against a Republican. 

“Council Member Brannan called me at my home and hurled abusive and threatening language at me with appalling words such as: `go f##k yourself motherf##ker,’ and `your days are numbered, motherf##er.”

He repeated the words that `my fu##ing days are numbered’ multiple times,” Ragusa said in the ethics complaint sent via email to Council Speaker Adrienne Adams (D-Queens).

“As a retiree and as an educator that served this City for over 32 years, I have never been spoken to with such abusive, chilling, and threatening language, which clearly violates the code of conduct that NYC Council Members must uphold while in service and must model for New York residents,” said Ragusa.

Then in a letter, Ragusa referred to Brannan’s other alleged reckless or questionable actions, including getting caught on camera speeding in school zones 16 times, while a top staffer misused a government parking placard.

“These run-ins with City laws, rules, and ethics demonstrate a pattern and practice on the part of Justin Brannan in which he believes that he is above the law because he is an elected official,” Ragusa said.

A Brannan campaign rep confirmed the councilman threatened to oust Ragusa from his party leadership, suggesting Ragusa was a closet Republican. 

“Democratic District Leader Ragusa needs to look in the mirror and ask himself: Am I working as hard as I can to elect candidates who want to strengthen organized labor? Fund public schools? Support small businesses? Provide equal justice?” the Brannan rep said.

“To any Democratic Party official who answers no to those questions — damn right your days are numbered. The stakes are too damn high to accept anything less. Southern Brooklyn is tired of Republicans like Charlie Ragusa masquerading as Democrats.”

Brannan, through a rep, denied using foul language — and alleged Ragusa was lying.

The Brannan camp also claimed the substance of the conversation differed from the way Ragusa portrayed it.

During the troubling conversation, Ragusa wanted to make a deal with the councilman to protect a Ragusa ally — longtime Democrat Assemblyman Bill Colton — when he runs for re-election in 2024, according to a Brannan insider.

Colton and Brannan represent different factions of the Brooklyn Democratic Party. Colton, is more conservative and part of the United Progressive Democratic Club; the more liberal Brannan is with the Bay Ridge Democrats.

Brannan said “no thanks” and the call “went south from there with Ragusa making threats about not supporting Brannan in November even though Brannan will be the only Democrat on the ballot in November,” a source close to the councilman said.

Ragusa confirmed he sought Brannan’s backing for Colton, but said the conversation started with Brannan asking for Rogusa’s endorsement for Brannan’s November re-election.

“Brannan called me,” Ragusa said.

Brannan could face a tough re-election battle from a Republican in a reconstituted 47th district that covers parts of Brannan’s base in Bay Ridge to portions of Coney Island, Gravesend and Sea Gate, which Democrat-turned-Republican Councilman Ari Kagan currently represents.