Brooklyn Assemblyman’s Stunning Insult: USSR Immigrants “More Cultured” Than American-Born Constituents

A Republican assemblyman from Brooklyn just insulted the very Americans he was elected to represent, declaring in a shocking social media tirade that Soviet-born immigrants possess superior culture to native-born citizens.

Michael Novakhov, who represents southern Brooklyn’s 45th Assembly District, made the astonishing claim while complaining about vandalism on a pedestrian bridge his office funded with taxpayer dollars. Writing in Russian on Facebook, the USSR-born politician didn’t mince words about his disdain for American-born residents.

“We, the descendants of the USSR, consider ourselves a little more cultured than the residents of the country we came to,” Novakhov wrote in his February 18th post, according to Facebook’s translation from Russian to English.

The assemblyman continued his condescending lecture, boasting that Soviet immigrants “go to theaters and classical music concerts” and prioritize “humanitarian education” for their children—the clear implication being that American-born constituents do not.

A Pattern of Questionable Loyalty

This isn’t merely an isolated incident of poor judgment. Novakhov’s background raises serious questions about his conservative credentials and commitment to American values.

The assemblyman was a devoted Democrat and serial left-wing donor before conveniently switching parties to run as a Republican in 2022. His donation history includes $170 to self-proclaimed socialist Bernie Sanders in 2016—a fact that should alarm every genuine conservative in Brooklyn.

Even more troubling, Novakhov maintains close relationships with New York City’s most radical socialist politicians. He’s been photographed alongside Brooklyn Councilman Chi Ossé, a Democratic Socialists of America member, and regularly engages with former comptroller Brad Lander and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg on social media—two figures whose soft-on-crime policies have devastated New York communities.

Communist Imagery and Convenient Explanations

Perhaps most disturbing is Novakhov’s own Instagram page, which features him wearing a “Communist party” sweater emblazoned with images of history’s most murderous dictators: Karl Marx, Mao Zedong, Vladimir Lenin, and Joseph Stalin.

These aren’t harmless fashion choices. They reveal a mindset fundamentally at odds with American constitutional principles and conservative values.

When confronted about his elitist comments, Novakhov claimed the Facebook translation was inaccurate and that he “absolutely” doesn’t believe USSR-born immigrants are more cultured than Americans. But the excuse rings hollow—particularly from someone fluent enough in both languages to know exactly what he was writing.

Democrats Smell Blood in the Water

Joey Cohen-Saben, a moderate Democrat challenging Novakhov in the district covering Sheepshead Bay, Manhattan Beach, Gravesend, and Brighton Beach, isn’t buying the assemblyman’s backtracking.

“When common sense left the building, Novakhov held the door,” Cohen-Saben said. “And just when you think it can’t get worse, he demeans and degrades his own constituents as inferior and uncultured if they’re not from the former USSR. It’s a disgrace to the office he holds.”

Cohen-Saben narrowly lost to Novakhov by just one percentage point in 2024, making the 45th District highly competitive territory in upcoming elections.

Novakhov dismissed his opponent as “desperate” and accused him of spreading “lies”—a predictable deflection that ignores the assemblyman’s own documented words and associations.

A Betrayal of Conservative Principles

Real conservatives understand that American culture—built on liberty, individual rights, and constitutional governance—represents the pinnacle of human achievement. The United States didn’t become the world’s beacon of freedom by accident. Generations of Americans sacrificed everything to build a nation that people from around the world, including the Soviet Union, desperately sought to join.

The suggestion that refugees from a totalitarian communist regime that murdered millions, crushed religious freedom, and eliminated private property somehow possess superior culture is not just offensive—it’s historically illiterate.

This isn’t about immigration. America’s strength has always derived from welcoming those who genuinely embrace our values and want to contribute to our exceptional national experiment. But immigrants who come here while maintaining contempt for American culture and citizens represent the worst kind of ingratitude.

The RINO Problem Personified

Novakhov epitomizes the Republican-In-Name-Only problem plaguing the conservative movement. He donated to socialists, befriends radicals, wears communist propaganda, and insults American-born citizens—yet he expects conservatives to support him simply because he switched his voter registration.

Party affiliation means nothing without genuine commitment to American principles. Novakhov’s record demonstrates he switched teams for political convenience, not conviction.

Brooklyn Republicans deserve better than a former Bernie Sanders donor who thinks Soviet culture surpasses American values. Conservative voters should demand representatives who actually believe in American exceptionalism rather than assemblyman cosplaying as Republicans while maintaining their leftist worldview.

Accountability at the Ballot Box

The 45th Assembly District race will test whether voters tolerate this kind of contempt from their elected officials. Novakhov’s narrow victory margin proves he’s vulnerable, and his elitist comments provide voters with crystal-clear evidence of his true character.

Whether the ultimate challenger comes from the right or left, one thing is certain: Brooklyn constituents—regardless of their birthplace—deserve representation from someone who respects them and genuinely believes in the superiority of American culture and constitutional values.

Novakhov’s Facebook rant exposed what many suspected all along: his Republican credentials are as authentic as his respect for the American-born citizens he was elected to serve.