A Brooklyn politician born in the USSR stirred controversy recently by suggesting that immigrants from the former Soviet Union are more cultured than native-born Americans. State Assemblyman Michael Novakhov, who switched from being a Bernie Sanders-supporting Democrat to running as a Republican in southern Brooklyn, made the remarks in a Facebook post regarding vandalism in his district.
Novakhov claimed that immigrants from the USSR have a higher level of culture, attending theaters and classical music concerts and focusing on humanitarian education for their children. However, he faced backlash for implying that his constituents lack cultural sophistication compared to immigrants from his homeland.
In response to the criticism, Novakhov denied feeling superior to other Americans and stated that the Facebook translation of his post was incorrect. However, his opponent in the upcoming election, Joey Cohen-Saben, criticized him for being out of touch with the community.
Cohen-Saben, who narrowly lost to Novakhov in the previous election, condemned the politician for demeaning his constituents and suggested that Novakhov’s views were disrespectful and inappropriate.
Despite the backlash, Novakhov accused his opponent of spreading lies and described him as desperate. He highlighted his past political affiliations and donations, including support for Bernie Sanders, before switching parties and winning a seat in the State Assembly.
Novakhov’s connections to socialist figures in New York City were also mentioned, with reports of his interactions with prominent left-wing politicians and his social media posts reflecting his communist-themed attire.
