The recent letter from Kenny Plummer’s resignation as District Leader of the Mount Vernon Democratic City Committee comes at a time when serious questions are being raised—not just about his public statements, but about the behind-the-scenes political influence he wielded and the developer dollars that helped drive it. While Plummer attempts to frame his exit as a gesture of unity, the truth is much deeper: it follows an ethics complaint, growing scrutiny of the Rise Up Mount Vernon PAC, and public outrage over the role of developer-backed politics in shaping a city that continues to suffer.
Red: Kenneth Plummer Resigns As Mount Vernon Democratic City Committee District Leader
Even more troubling is the question of whether Kenny Plummer was ever legally eligible to serve as District Leader in the first place. Under New York Election Law § 6-122, candidates for party positions—such as District Leader—must be bona fide residents of the Assembly district they seek to represent. This requirement is not symbolic—it’s a legal mandate to ensure local leadership reflects the will of the people actually living in the district.
By his own admission, Plummer splits his time between White Plains and Mount Vernon. And while he may have held a lease or utility bill in Mount Vernon, that alone does not establish legal residency or domicile. In New York, domicile is defined by where a person actually lives with the intent to remain. Simply put, it doesn’t matter if your name is on a lease or if the lights are on in an apartment—if it’s not your true, permanent home, it doesn’t meet the standard.
This apparent violation of the residency requirement not only undermines the integrity of his position, but it also suggests Plummer misled both the party and the public. Ultimately, the legal and ethical pressure surrounding this issue forced him to resign, casting a shadow over the political judgment of those who allowed it to happen in the first place
Plummer’s political activity, especially through the Rise Up Mount Vernon PAC, has coincided with a troubling trend: developer-funded candidates rising to power, community voices being silenced, and everyday residents paying the price. Massive developments like the Rella project have become a clear sign of the influence of developer money in Mount Vernon. While these projects are sold as progress, they have placed a strain on city services—increasing traffic, worsening sanitation, and overwhelming infrastructure—while failing to deliver long-term economic opportunity. Meanwhile, taxes keep rising, crime remains high, and Mount Vernon’s public schools continue to decline.
The Power Behind the Curtain. Plummer positioned himself as a political gatekeeper in Mount Vernon, using the Rise Up PAC to elevate candidates, consolidate endorsements, and control the flow of outside funding—especially from developers with financial interests in city contracts and zoning decisions. That influence has not only shaped campaigns but also helped silence dissent within the party. According to a recent formal complaint filed with the New York State Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE), Plummer is alleged to have acted as an unregistered lobbyist for developers, brokering political contributions while bypassing the registration and disclosure rules required by state law. That complaint also alleges he continued these activities through the Rise Up Mount Vernon PAC, replicating the same unethical lobbying behavior that previously resulted in penalties.
Read: Lawsuit Exposes Rise Up Mount Vernon’s Election Activity Before Legal Registration
Deception as Strategy: The Rise Up Playbook. Kenny Plummer and Rise Up PAC knowingly misrepresented City Comptroller Darren Morton—a man who not only holds public office but also serves as pastor of one of Mount Vernon’s most historic churches—by falsely implying Morton’s affiliation with the Rise Up Mount Vernon PAC in campaign materials. Morton has since publicly disavowed any connection to the group.
This was no clerical error. It was a deliberate attempt to borrow the credibility of a respected figure to legitimize a political operation rooted in self-interest. Even after Morton publicly denounced his affiliation, they continued with new materials, websites, and mailers with his name and likeness. Such tactics speak volumes—not just about Plummer’s judgment, but about the ethical bankruptcy of the entire Rise Up movement.
When people in power resort to deception as a political tool, the question isn’t whether they’ll lie again—it’s what else they’re willing to do. Anyone aligned with this effort has effectively endorsed the notion that misleading the public is a justifiable means to a political end. And once that line is crossed, integrity becomes negotiable, and public trust becomes expendable
While City Comptroller Darren Morton stood alone in publicly distancing himself from the Rise Up Mount Vernon PAC, the silence of the other candidates speaks volumes. Even after Kenny Plummer’s questionable dealings and the PAC’s tactics came to light, not one of them chose to denounce the behavior. The primary may be over, but the public is still left asking: what did they know, and when did they know it? Their silence raises serious doubts—not just about their judgment, but about whether this is truly the ethical leadership Mount Vernon needs at such a critical time.
Kingmaker Turned Victim? Now, as scrutiny intensifies, Plummer has attempted to reframe himself as a victim—someone stepping aside for unity. But you can’t claim victimhood after years of acting as a kingmaker—cutting backroom deals, deciding who gets nominated at the city committee, and controlling access to political power. You can’t consolidate influence, coordinate PAC money, shape election outcomes, and promote false affiliations, then expect to quietly exit without facing the consequences. Those who believe politics should be rooted in character, transparency, and ethics won’t allow that narrative to go unchallenged.
The Silence That Protects Power. More troubling than Plummer’s resignation is the silence surrounding it. Except for Comptroller Morton, no elected official or party leader in Mount Vernon has spoken out. No internal reviews. No public calls for campaign finance transparency. No acknowledgement of the ethics complaint. Other district leaders walking around like they had blinders on while the political process in Mount Vernon was hijacked by some who don’t even live there. This silence is not neutrality—it’s complicity. It signals to residents that political power in Mount Vernon can be bought, sold, and protected as long as the right people benefit.
And this is why it matters who funds our politics. In politics, the people who fund your campaign are the ones you’re beholden to—not the seniors, not the working parents, not the struggling taxpayers. If that weren’t the case, Mount Vernon wouldn’t be where it is today: with failing schools, rising crime, and a total lack of sustained economic development. Developer-backed PACs don’t fund candidates to represent the people. They fund candidates to represent their interests. And until the public demands transparency and breaks that cycle, the city will continue to suffer while a select few prosper.
Mount Vernon Deserves Better This is not about personal attacks. It’s about structural integrity and community self-respect. Mount Vernon is the only predominantly Black city in Westchester—a place of deep cultural roots, civic pride, and historic resilience. Like the fictional Wakanda in Black Panther, it should value its land and its people above all else, and refuse to fall victim to the manipulations of outside forces and private interests. Mount Vernon holds some of the most strategically located land in the county, yet through weak leadership and political compromise, that land is being given away. The residents of Mount Vernon deserve a government that works for them—not one steered by undisclosed money, political manipulation, or silence. Kenny Plummer’s resignation may close one chapter, but it opens a new one: a chapter in which the people of Mount Vernon must demand answers, investigate influence, and hold every political figure to the same standard.
2 Comments
Give it a rest now my God!
Interesting read!