Sepúlveda: Crespo promised no judgeship deal with Bronx DA Johnson

Assemblyman Luis Sepúlveda had a chance to challenge longtime Bronx District Attorney Robert Johnson in a Democratic primary this month, but he stayed out of the race in a display of unity with the Bronx County Democrats.

But after his recent primary victory, Johnson has now officially announced that he will seek a judgeship instead and likely will not seek re-election, letting the Bronx Democrats essentially appoint his replacement – with potential candidates like Sepúlveda missing out on a chance to win over voters. Critics claim that Johnson was offered the judgeship in exchange for agreeing to step down as district attorney.

After the Post reported last month that a deal was reached to have Johnson not run in turn for a judgeship, with a sitting judge set to be installed as Johnson’s replacement, Sepúlveda told City & State on Aug. 31 that he had met with Assemblyman Marcos Crespo, the chair of the Bronx Democrats, about the matter.

“It was about a month and half before the petitioning process began,” Sepúlveda said in the late August interview. “I specifically asked about a deal to replace Robert Johnson. And he told me there is no deal to replace the DA with anyone.”

Sepúlveda also said then that he “believed there was going to be a democratic process, that being an open primary. And any other person can run once Johnson retires.”

In an interview with City & State TV in May, Sepúlveda didn't hide his interest in running against Johnson, a seven-term incumbent. People very close to the assemblyman privately spoke of him mulling a primary challenge.

Not long after that interview, however, Sepúlveda closed ranks with the Bronx Democratic County Committee and released written statement in support of Johnson. While Sepúlveda told some allies that he wasn't completely convinced that he had made the right choice, he nevertheless he fell into line willingly.

“And before the petitioning, the chairman asked that everyone collect petitions for Johnson,” Sepúlveda told City & State in the interview late last month. “There was no deal involved in my decision." Sepúlveda is said to have collected 2,000 signatures for Johnson.

When asked if as a result of the published reports he had been told of a change, Sepúlveda said, “No one has called me to tell me that there's a deal in place. Based on our past relationship, (Marcos Crespo has) always been a straight shooter with me.”

Despite the new development this week, Sepúlveda didn't respond to a text message for further comment on what had happened. However, back in late August he had said, “Based on my relationship with Marcos I would be shocked if such a deal was in place.” 

It appears that Sepúlveda will have to take Crespo at his word. In a statement, the Bronx Democratic County Committee portrayed the decision as Johnson’s alone.  

“We recently heard from Bronx District Attorney Robert Johnson regarding his interest in moving on from his role as Bronx County District Attorney and, as with any other candidate who has reached out, we discussed the possibility of nominating him for one of the upcoming vacancies in the Bronx Supreme court,” the statement reads. “If the Judicial Delegates who were nominated and elected by the residents of the Bronx choose to select him as one of the Democratic candidates for Bronx Supreme Court, the position will become vacant and we have a responsibility and obligation to nominate a replacement as the Democratic Party's candidate in the District Attorney race, in accordance with election law.”

In a statement, Sepúlveda acknowledged his interest in the district attorney post, which he could eventually run for in 2019, but didn’t wade into the allegations of a deal between the Bronx Democrats and Johnson.

“As I have said in the past, I have been weighing a run for Bronx District Attorney in the 2019 election cycle,” he said. “However the current political situation turns out, I remain committed to serving the people of the 87th Assembly District, and if fate and my own efforts dictate, the people of the Bronx.”