Brooklyn Councilwoman Susan Zhuang is shaking up her communications staff in the wake of being arrested for allegedly biting an NYPD chief during a tumultuous protest against a homeless shelter in her district.
Felix Tager, Zhuang’s communications director, confirmed Wednesday he’s resigning from her office.
Tager, who has worked for Zhuang since February, told the Daily News his last day is Friday, but declined to offer a reason for his departure or say whether it’s related to the lawmaker’s recent arrest.
Meantime, Zhuang’s campaign has hired Actum, a global consulting firm, to handle all communications for her related to the alleged cop chomp, said Esther Jensen, a vice president at the New York-based outfit.
Zhuang didn’t return a request for comment on the staff shakeup.
In a sign of her shifting communications strategy, Zhuang did her first sit-down media interview Wednesday since she was arrested for the alleged bite attack. In the appearance on Fox5, Zhuang said she was trying to help an elderly woman during last week’s protest in her Bensonhurst-based district when she got into a scuffle with cops.
“I will never apologize to protect 80 years old woman,” Zhuang said in the interview, breaking into tears.
Zhuang, a first-term conservative Democrat who has portrayed herself as a pro-police lawmaker, allegedly bit an NYPD chief in the arm so hard it drew blood in the early morning hours on July 17 while protesting a planned homeless shelter in Bensonhurst with dozens of local residents.
Zhuang was arrested and charged with felony assault and other criminal counts for the alleged attack. She has pleaded not guilty.
Zhuang’s neighborhood currently has no homeless shelters.
The planned 32-room shelter would house adult men, and Mayor Adams’ administration has touted it as a much-needed addition to the community. Zhuang and other anti-shelter advocates have claimed it would jeopardize safety.
The mayor, who has defended the shelter development, condemned Zhuang’s alleged attack on the chief as “unfortunate” earlier this week, but also described her as a “real partner” to the NYPD.
On Friday, the mayor, who’s politically aligned with Zhuang, met with her privately at City Hall. It’s unclear what they discussed, but the mayor has said he hopes to help her ” resolve this issue.”
