Progressive Senator Bernie Sanders has endorsed Justin Brannan, a Democratic candidate for New York City comptroller, despite a well-documented history of inflammatory and offensive remarks made by Brannan as a punk rock musician in the 1990s. The endorsement has raised concerns about the alignment between Brannan’s past behavior and the progressive values typically associated with his campaign.
Brannan, a former punk rock musician, was part of the New York City music scene in the 1990s, where he was known for making controversial statements. During this time, he used racial slurs, including the N-word, in online discussions. He also made derogatory comments about Asians, homosexuals, and Puerto Ricans, often in a mocking and discriminatory manner. For example, he wrote,