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Councilwoman Ina Vernikoff
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Carol Markowitz
Hi, and welcome back to the Meryl Marquis show on iHeartradio. My guest today is New York City Councilwoman Ina Vernikoff. Hi, Ina. So nice to have you on.
Councilwoman Ina Vernikoff
Hi. Thank you so much for having me.
Carol Markowitz
So I feel a lot of affinity with you, obviously because of our shared ex Soviet background. And I'm from South Brooklyn where you are a councilwoman. I wish you had been the councilwoman when I lived there. But, you know, we'll take what we can get. Did you always want to be in politics?
Councilwoman Ina Vernikoff
No, actually, not at all. I always grew up having this dream of being an attorney, which I am. And I know that you understand this so well because as an immigrant from the Soviet Union, to come to the United States, not speaking a word of English, not knowing what's going on in this country because we were so new here, and being a child and then being able to go to law school, go to college, then go to law school, obtain a law degree, pass the bar exam, become an attorney and open your own law practice, like my mom would say on Broadway is such a big deal for someone who comes from a small town in Ukraine in the former Soviet Union, I know you understand that so well. It's the American dream. And I'D always dreamed to be a lawyer just because I always grew up with this, like, innate sense of justice. I always wanted to see justice, and whenever I saw injustice, I always wanted to correct it. So I. I did get my dream of being a lawyer, but never wanted to be in politics. Was never interested in politics at all. In fact, when my dad used to try to feed me politics and turn on, oh, hey, watch Fox News, Watch, you know, all the child never had any interest in it until, obviously, I really grew up and started understanding what's going on in this country. And it was during the Benghazi attack that I became very interested and was dumbfounded by what was happening in American politics and wanted to get involved and then still never wanted to run. And then eventually, when I saw the tremendous rise in anti Semitism in New York City, particularly also in the country, but especially in New York City, and the Black Lives Matter movement and the way that our cops were treated, I decided had to take action and eventually decided I had to run for office and leave my law practice.
Carol Markowitz
Were your parents supportive? Like, I know my parents, they saw, you know, there were three careers you could do there. You could be a doctor, you could be a lawyer. And at the time I was growing up, it was. The third one was computer programist, you know, like.
Councilwoman Ina Vernikoff
Oh, yes, very popular.
Carol Markowitz
That's it. That's it. Those were the three options.
Councilwoman Ina Vernikoff
Pharmacists. Pharmacist.
Carol Markowitz
Oh, pharmacist.
Councilwoman Ina Vernikoff
Yeah, you have to be a pharmacist.
Carol Markowitz
But, yes, yes, that's absolutely right. And so choosing to be something else is taking a leap. And I know, you know, when you are here from another country, you came from the Soviet Union. Leaps are not that popular. Were your parents supportive?
Councilwoman Ina Vernikoff
My parents were very supportive of me being an attorney, but half my family has very different political views than I do.
Carol Markowitz
Really?
Councilwoman Ina Vernikoff
No, it's. Yeah. Most people don't know that. And being one five Republicans in New York City, it's kind of interesting that half my family is actually liberal progressives, which is also very unusual for our.
Carol Markowitz
So community is so conservative.
Councilwoman Ina Vernikoff
Yes. I would say, like, 95% of our community is so conservative Republican. My family happens to be a little different, but we try to make it work, and it's not easy. It's not easy. Yes.
Carol Markowitz
Yeah. But do they worry about you? Like, another thing is my mom, during the Obama administration, she would be like, can you not constantly write about how much the president is doing a bad job? Like, she worried about me getting into trouble, being on the wrong side of the president or something. Is your family concerned about you out there, like, putting your opinions out there?
Councilwoman Ina Vernikoff
Well, I think, like my very close family, they've kind of gotten out of that Soviet mentality, because I think that's like the Soviet mentality. Don't. Don't say anything against the government. You're going to get punished. That's what they're used to. That's where they came from. Right. So I think they don't really have that. But, you know, they're always concerned for my safety because I do get threats. I do get a lot of threats, especially after October 7th, and since I've been so outspoken and all these controversial issues really should not be controversial, like anti Semitism. But I did get a lot of threats, even during the Ukraine war, when I stood up for Ukraine, I got a lot of disgusting letters and threats. And we have a very close contact with the counterintelligence unit, with the police department. So they're very, very good. And we can't live our lives being scared.
Carol Markowitz
Yeah, absolutely. I think sometimes that I don't have a lot of hope for New York City in the short term, but when I think that, I then think of South Brooklyn, which I think is such a functioning, like, sane place. You know, nobody in South Brooklyn is thinking that biological boys should play in girls sports. I mean, just little things like that. And so I'm hopeful about your part of Brooklyn.
Councilwoman Ina Vernikoff
Do you.
Carol Markowitz
Are you optimistic about your area, and then are you optimistic about New York in general?
Councilwoman Ina Vernikoff
I actually am optimistic about New York. I think that, first of all, so many people here are concerned about Mamdani, which is why I'm not sure if you followed, but during the mayoral election, I actually crossed party lines to support Andrew Cuomo just to make sure that we don't get Mamdani. And it was actually, I didn't know that at the time that I was doing it because I always looked to do what's right. But it came out to be a very popular move in this part of town where a lot of these Republicans who vote for Trump, Trump went for Andrew Cuomo because they understood that that was the only way to beat Mamdani, that we actually couldn't vote for the Republican candidate. But I think that a lot of the fears about Mamdani are actually going to turn out to be frivolous, because I think that with all of his rhetoric and with all of his actions that do reasonably cause a lot of fear in our communities, I do think that he's not going to be A able to accomplish the majority of the things that he promised when he was campaigning. And we kind of see that, you know, as he became the mayor and as things are progressing, we see that everything he wants to push, I always say, like the adults in the room are not going to. And I don't think he's going to be able to do a lot of the stuff. Some of it is because he's just, it's just impractical and impossible. And some of it is because they're going to be moderate Democrats and others who are going to push back and say, no, sorry, we can't make free buses, we can't raise property tax by 9.5%. And so I think that's gonna be, that's gonna be his legacy. And I think he's imploding now. And I actually don't think that he's gonna be mayor again just cause he can't accomplish things that he promised the left. And more things are coming out as we go and I think that the pendulum will swing as it always does. And I just think that we should have hope. And there is in the tunnel.
Carol Markowitz
I love your optimism. I hope that's right. I root for New York. Listen, I live in Florida, but I still have family and friends in New York. I want things to work out. And I especially root for South Brooklyn because I think that the South Brooklyn tries to vote itself to sanity. They do. You know, they're the ones voting red. They're the ones voting for the Republicans. They want a better world for themselves and for their kids. And they're met with this like far left, you know, insanity in New York. So I, I hope you're right and I hope that things get better from here. What do you think it would take? Do you think that New York does go back to like a Giuliani or something? Could you be that Giuliani?
Councilwoman Ina Vernikoff
I don't see New York going back to a Giuliani anytime soon. But I do see New York going back to a moderate Democrat. Maybe like a Bloomberg, you know, have, you know, there's rumors that maybe Jessica Tisch will run for mayor, you know, maybe speaker winning. I mean, there are others. I look, Cuomo got close to a million votes and we're talking about.
Carol Markowitz
He's not even that great.
Councilwoman Ina Vernikoff
Not only that, I mean, with all his baggage. Right. Not a well run campaign at all. You know, towards the end I got a little bit involved and got to see a little bit of the campaign. Not a well run campaign. And then also he didn't run on the Democrat line, which is the only line that ever wins, really. It's almost impossible.
Carol Markowitz
Lost the primary. Yeah, he lost.
Councilwoman Ina Vernikoff
It's almost impossible to win on an independent line, and he ran in an independent line. And his position on the ballot was really not a good position. If you saw the ballot, it was somewhere to the bottom right, which actually really matters because voters just, you know, they. They go in a few minutes to vote, and if they don't see you on the ballot, they just vote for someone else or just leave. So with all that said, he still got close to a million votes, which says a lot about the voters in New York City and where we could go had we had a really good moderate Democrat candidate who was in the Democratic line. I mean.
Carol Markowitz
Yeah. Or a Republican who was like, maybe a little bit more serious. I like Curtis Levo, but that was never going to happen.
Councilwoman Ina Vernikoff
Well, that's the other thing. If he wasn't, if Curtis Thiel wasn't in the race, I do believe that Cuomo would have been mayor today.
Carol Markowitz
What would you have done as, like a plan B? Had this not worked out? Had you, had you not become a New York City councilwoman, would you have just stayed a lawyer?
Councilwoman Ina Vernikoff
Oh, absolutely. Yeah. I mean, I, you know, what kind of law. Yeah, no, a lot of people, I feel like, go into politics when they kind of don't know. They don't really have another plan or another option. And this is kind of like what they want to do or kind of like their life. For me, my law practice was my life. It was, like I said, my dream, and I had to leave it. And it was a very sad for me to have to leave a law practice that I built with my own hands. You know, I worked. I stayed up till 2 o' clock in the morning the first year and a half of my practice, you know, just to make it work, bring in clients, you know, so it was tough. And, yeah, I absolutely would have paid an attorney. A practicing attorney.
Carol Markowitz
Yes. We're going to take a quick break and be right back on the Carol Markowitz Show.
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Councilwoman Ina Vernikoff
I
Carol Markowitz
think people don't get what a sacrifice it is to go into public service in so many ways. You know, you leave the private life behind and you leave the business that you've built and life that you had to make changes that you want to see. I think a lot of people see, you know, politics or political jobs and elected officials as like, oh, they have this like, glamorous and stepped up life, but actually it's a lot harder for a lot of people.
Councilwoman Ina Vernikoff
Yeah. And I actually think that's why people like Trump and Mamdani were able to get elected. Because like, you know, someone like Trump, he has all the money supposedly in the world and the life that he wants, but he gives that up to make a difference and to make a change. They're kind of like the populist candidates that people appreciate. They go against the establishment, they go against what we're used to, and they try to fight for the people. I mean, with Mamdani, I think that's what a lot of voters saw in him. I don't think that's, that's true. But they're still both populist Candidates. And yeah, it is not an easy life necessarily. And you get so much pushback and you get threats, threats to your safety and your life. Sometimes you get involved in issues where there's protesters right outside your office, your staff is scared, you have to sit home or whatever it is. You do give up a lot. You know, I gave up something I love doing to do this, to make a difference.
Carol Markowitz
What would you say are you most proud of in your life?
Councilwoman Ina Vernikoff
Well, I think now that my life is a lot about what I'm doing, which a lot of it is politics and representing constituents. I think I'm very proud of the fact that I have this immense opportunity and privilege to speak up for so many Russian speaking Jews came from the Soviet Union. And you know, I get so many, they reach out so many times so much. I hear from them a lot about how proud they are to have someone who, you know, comes from where they come from and understands them and is able to speak up for them because they just feel so unheard. Especially at a time like this when we have a socialist communist, in my opinion, and when there's so much antisemitism. The two things that Soviet Jewry escaped, those are literally the two things they escaped. And you know that better than anyone. Right. Anti Semitism and socialism, communism and that's where we're living today. And you know, anti Semitism and socialism. And so to have this opportunity to represent them and speak up for them and speak up against all of that is. I'm very proud of that.
Carol Markowitz
It's huge. Yeah. And you know, look, you know, it's funny, you know, we talk about how the ex Soviet Jewish community really supports you, but they don't just support you because you are like them, an ex Soviet Jew. It's because you are also ideologically on their side. I think we had so many elected officials who were ex Soviet Jews and who were quite leftist and it was like perplexing, like, how do these people. I'm not going to name names, but I have a few that are really I have on my very, very negative list because I felt like they did not represent our community and they did not represent the values at all. They were on their own, like tangent going to the left. So I think that that's what makes you so special to the community in that. Yeah, of course we're of the same culture, we're from the same place, but you also have the same ideals and that that's big.
Councilwoman Ina Vernikoff
Yeah. And I think that's a big problem that we have today. Kind of a little bit on both sides of the aisle, but obviously a lot more with Democrats, which is that they're afraid to go against the grain. They're afraid to speak up for issues that really matter because they wanna fit in with the Democrat establishment. You know, for example, in the city council, a lot of the Democrats, we have a lot of moderate Democrats in the city council. Actually, people don't know this, but we do have a lot of moderate Democrats. However, a lot of them are afraid to actually publicly align with us, which they do privately, but they're publicly afraid because they're afraid of pushback from a speaker, especially from the previous speaker, because they get threatened with, we'll take away your funding for your district or you'll lose your committees if you don't vote or support this bill. We'll do all of that. There's consequences. And they don't wanna go against the grain, they don't wanna lose funding, they don't wanna lose their status in the Democratic establishment, they don't wanna lose committees, they don't want to lose their power. So they just go along. And they don't go against the left. They actually support the left publicly, even though privately, I can tell you for a fact, a lot of them, they come to us and they say, I totally agree with you, I totally agree with you on this issue. Right? Especially about policing, NYPD and supremacism stuff. But they won't do it publicly. And so that's actually more of a problem. I have more of a problem with those moderate Democrats than I do with the left.
Carol Markowitz
I know what you mean. At least the left, they have some ideology, they have some beliefs. These people are just opportunists. It's unfortunate, but during the pandemic where I was writing about opening schools all the time, I had CNN newscasters in my DMs being like, I agree with you. I just obviously can't say anything. Oh my God, you're the weakest, biggest person ever.
Councilwoman Ina Vernikoff
Cowards.
Carol Markowitz
Agree with me, but you can't say anything. Yeah, you coward. Right. Give us a five year out prediction and it could be about anything at all.
Councilwoman Ina Vernikoff
Yeah, sure. Well, I think I kind of mentioned it before. I do think things are gonna change a lot. You know how sometimes people say, you know, things have to kind of burn down for them to better. And I think, yep, rock bottom. And I think we're gonna hit it here in New York City. I mean, how much lower can we go, right? With all the chaos and the anti police and the crime and the affordability crisis and all of that. And I think people are struggling. You know, affordability is the number one issue in New York State right now. It's not actually. Not crime. I think crime is second. But people are really struggling, and I think they're gonna realize that all the promises to make everything free are just not real. That was like a pipe dream. And that, you know, back to the mayor, I have to just mention it. I think that he's basically a TikTok influencer who ran on the promise of affordability because affordability was so attractive to New Yorkers. And obviously he got all these votes because he promised all these free things. But I actually think his main focus, based on everything we're seeing, really, is to free Palestine. I think every chance he gets. I mean, we saw Yesterday, it was St. Patrick's Day, and he used his platform to basically talk about Gaza and Palestine. He basically hijacked St. Patrick's day after snubbing 2.5 million Catholics in New York when he didn't show up for the installation of the new archbishop. And I think everyone. I think a lot of these ethnic communities are realizing that he's really there for a platform for Palestine and Gaza, which is really. Look, I don't care. He could have his. You could talk about Palestine.
Carol Markowitz
Yeah.
Councilwoman Ina Vernikoff
Even though. Even though mayor of New York City,
Carol Markowitz
like, and his whole argument was like, oh, the mayor of New York City should be about New York, shouldn't be about Israel. But he's literally over there. Like, his mind is over there.
Councilwoman Ina Vernikoff
Absolutely. He's hyper focused on Israel and Palestine. And, you know, what he's missing is that to free Palestine needs to free Gaza from Hamas. But that's a whole separate conversation. Point is he should be focused on, you know, cleaning out the snow, which was a complete failure. These two blizzards that we had, I'm sure you seen and heard about it, you know, cleaning the streets, the Department of Transportation, our schools, which are miserably failing our students. He's completely not focusing on that. He's deflecting all his problems that are very real and talking about Palestine, I think he's going to implode, and I think that the pendulum will swing and we will see a different New York in five years from now.
Carol Markowitz
So I said no surprises on this podcast. But I have one question I want to throw in here that I didn't talk about. What's your favorite restaurant in South Brooklyn?
Councilwoman Ina Vernikoff
Oh, I have so many, but a few.
Carol Markowitz
I just. What should I check out when I'm back.
Councilwoman Ina Vernikoff
Do you eat kosher or not?
Carol Markowitz
No.
Councilwoman Ina Vernikoff
Okay. No. So you should definitely cop out, Michaels.
Carol Markowitz
Oh, yeah. I love Italian restaurant.
Councilwoman Ina Vernikoff
Oh, you've been there. Okay. But yeah, I do. I do like a lot of meetings, like breakfast. Breakfast, my favorite meal of the day. So I do a lot of breakfast meetings in Opara.
Carol Markowitz
But, yeah, I haven't been there in a long time. I'll have to check it out.
Councilwoman Ina Vernikoff
Yeah, check it out.
Carol Markowitz
You know, I've loved this conversation. I've really been such an appreciative fan of your work. I think you're an amazing councilwoman. And again, I wish you had been around when I lived there.
Councilwoman Ina Vernikoff
Well, maybe we can have you back at some point.
Carol Markowitz
Yeah. Well, to visit, maybe. Maybe we'll go to Michael's.
Councilwoman Ina Vernikoff
Let's do it.
Carol Markowitz
But leave us here with your best tip for my listeners on how they can improve their lives.
Councilwoman Ina Vernikoff
My best tip would probably be do what you love. That is, professionally, it's kind of like a mantra I always followed. Even if you're afraid to do it or it's difficult or it's challenging, I say, like, we only have one life. And I think that you'll never regret doing what you love. And you don't want to be miserable doing a job just because you're making money. You want to do it because you enjoy it and you get satisfaction out of it and you feel like you're accomplishing something and making a difference. For me, that's always been the more important. More important than making money. And so that's why I followed my dream to become an attorney. And now I really do love what I do. Speaking up, standing up and helping people every day.
Carol Markowitz
I love it. She is Councilwoman Ina Vernikoff. Thank you so much for coming on.
Councilwoman Ina Vernikoff
Councilwoman, thank you so much for having me.
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Podcast: The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show — The Karol Markowicz Show
Episode Title: Inside NYC Politics: Inna Vernikov on Crime, Anti-Semitism, and the Fight for New York’s Future
Date: April 10, 2026
Host: Karol Markowicz (iHeartPodcasts)
Guest: Councilwoman Inna Vernikov (NYC Council, South Brooklyn)
This episode spotlights the personal and political journey of New York City Councilwoman Inna Vernikov, examining her immigrant background, motivations for entering politics, and her perspectives on the city’s future. Vernikov and host Karol Markowicz, both ex-Soviet immigrants from South Brooklyn, discuss the challenges facing New York—especially crime, anti-Semitism, and ideological battles—while exploring the complexities of moderates in city politics and the sacrifices involved in public service. The episode delivers an engaging, honest look at New York’s present struggles and potential for change.
The conversation is earnest and personal, blending warmth (shared immigrant experience, Brooklyn pride) with sharp political critique. Vernikov is passionate and candid, occasionally humorous, while Markowicz provides supportive, like-minded commentary, with an underlying hope for New York’s future.