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NYC Comptroller Brad Lander found himself in an embarrassing situation during Tuesday’s memorial service for civil rights icon Hazel Dukes, as photographs revealed him apparently sleeping through much of the ceremony.

The aspiring mayoral candidate seemed to drift off during the latter half of the two-hour tribute held at Mother AME Zion Church in Harlem. The service, which began at 10 a.m., honored Dukes, the former NAACP New York State Conference president who passed away at 92 years old on Saturday.

A seasoned Democratic operative took a jab at Lander’s progressive reputation, stating, “I guess Brad isn’t so woke after all.” The source further criticized Lander’s behavior, suggesting that his inability to remain alert during a prominent Black leader’s funeral service revealed his true character and treatment of the Black community as merely a political tool.

Several photographs captured the 55-year-old comptroller appearing to be fast asleep in a packed church pew, his eyes firmly closed. One insider sarcastically remarked that this display could harm his primary campaign prospects.

Another Democratic strategist noted the poor timing of the incident, particularly given Lander’s struggling poll numbers and his efforts to appeal to Black voters.

The memorial service drew over 1,000 attendees, including prominent figures such as New York City Mayor Eric Adams, the city’s second Black mayor, former Governor Andrew Cuomo (also a mayoral candidate), Governor Kathy Hochul, and former First Lady Hillary Clinton.

When contacted about the incident, Lander’s spokesperson Dora Pekec defended the comptroller, stating, “It’s not exactly breaking news that some people close their eyes at spiritual events. Brad was deeply engaged and moved by the service, and it speaks volumes about someone that they would seek to exploit and lie about Ms. Dukes’ funeral service for their personal political gain.”