Peter Abbate accuses Brooklyn Dem boss of helping Republicans keep NYC Assembly seat: ‘A disgrace’

Brooklyn Democrats’ embattled boss helped clear the path for Republican state Assemblyman Lester Chang to easily get re-elected this year and, in exchange, received key assistance expected to keep her in charge of the county party, claims a former veteran lawmaker.

Peter Abbate, a Democrat who planned to square off against Chang in November to regain his former Assembly seat, told The Post he’s “certain” Kings County Democratic Chairwoman Rodneyse Bichotte­-Hermelyn and another rival, Assemblyman William Colton (D-Brooklyn), worked with Republicans to screw his campaign.

“It’s a disgrace,” Abbate fumed. “It’s the first time in my memory — and I’m 75 years old — that there will be no Democratic candidate for an Assembly seat in Brooklyn.”

Abbate alleged Bichotte­-Hermelyn and Colton “sabotaged” their own party, providing Republican leaders with intel showing Abbate and two other other critics of the Brooklyn Democratic boss didn’t have enough valid petition signatures to run in June’s primaries.

A state judge ruled Friday that many of the 2,260 signatures submitted by Abbate and Democratic District Leaders Victoria Kelly and Jimmy Li were invalid, and booted them from the ballot.

This leaves Dems without a candidate in the general election for the 49th Assembly District Assembly seat representing parts of Bensonhurst, Borough Park and Sunset Park. In November 2022, Abbate shockingly lost the seat he held for 36 years, when he was defeated by Chang during a GOP surge in southern Brooklyn.

Kelly and Li will be replaced by Colton loyalists Joyce Xie and Tony Ko, a huge boost that should help Bichotte­-Hermelyn lock up enough district leader support to remain party chair — while she fends off a rival party faction led by Abbate, Councilman Justin Brannan and Assemblyman Andrew Gounardes.

Bichotte­-Hermelyn — who’s previously accused Abbate of engaging in “white supremacy” by discouraging Asians from running for office — called Abbate’s allegations against her “baseless.”

She said the Brooklyn Democratic Party “uncovered shocking, widespread fraud” in Abbate and his allies’ petitions and simply “assisted” Asian communities in southern Brooklyn “to ensure their voices were heard at the ballot.”

“This isn’t about Red or Blue politics,” she insisted.

Abbate said he was not involved in collecting the petition signatures and couldn’t explain why hundreds were declared bogus. He’s also repeatedly denied trying to persuade Asians not to run for office.

Before seeking a rematch against Chang, Abbate considered running against Colton in the June primary for Colton’s Assembly seat representing Bath Beach and parts of Bensonhurst and Gravesend.

Colton did not return messages.