A Democratic New York state senator caused an uproar on Twitter Tuesday after telling a Republican who called him out over parking placard abuse to kill herself.
Oh my word. pic.twitter.com/DB7KgEZj8s
— Jon Campbell (@JonCampbellGAN) December 18, 2018
Sen. Kevin Parker has since apologized for his “poor choice of words” and deleted his tweet.
I sincerely apologize. I used a poor choice of words. Suicide is a serious thing and and should not be made light of.
— Senator Kevin Parker (@SenatorParker) December 18, 2018
The unfortunate incident began when a NYC-based Twitter account called Chesney Parks pointed out a potential placard violation in a New York City bike lane.
https://twitter.com/chesneycheckers/status/1073391173732061184
Candice Giove, deputy communications director for New York’s Senate Republican majority, identified Parker as the possible culprit.
“The placard is assigned to @SenatorParker,” she wrote. “However, the license plate # on the placard does not match the vehicle. So he either used it in another car or gave it to someone to use, both of which are not permitted.”
ICYMI: I got to the bottom of this. The placard is assigned to @SenatorParker. However, the license plate # on the placard does not match the vehicle. So he either used it in another car or gave it to someone to use, both of which are not permitted.
— Candice Giove (@candicegiove) December 18, 2018
The Brooklyn Democrat responded to Giove’s tweet by saying, “kill yourself.”
After deleting his tweet, Parker sent out two more tweets assailing Giove on unrelated issues.
Where was @Candicegiove when NYers voted for a #Democratic State Senate & progressive legislation like the Dream Act & CFE funding? That’s right, working with the #NOIDC appendage of the GOP. #DreamAct #CFEFunding
— Senator Kevin Parker (@SenatorParker) December 18, 2018
. @Candicegiove is on the wrong side of history for every important issue facing New York State!
— Senator Kevin Parker (@SenatorParker) December 18, 2018
Later, in a telephone interview with the New York Daily News, Parker called the situation a “tempest in a teapot” and continued to trash Giove for working for the Senate GOP and being “on the wrong side of history.”
“Candice is nothing, but an internet troll,” the hothead said. “To call her anything more is fake news. At the end of the day, she is someone who continues to represent the forces of evil and is on the wrong side of history for every important issue facing this state.”
Some on Twitter linked Parker’s mean tweet to his alleged anger issues. In 2010, he was convicted of misdemeanor assault charges stemming from a confrontation with a photographer for the New York Post. Parker was found guilty of two counts of criminal mischief for damaging the reporter’s camera. Because he was cleared of more serious felony assault charges, Parker wasn’t automatically removed from the Senate, which is what would have happened if the lawmaker had been convicted of a felony.
Parker made headlines last month when he introduced a bill that would mandate inspections of a person’s social media activity for pistol permits in New York state.
The bill said that “officials would investigate posts or searches related to profane slurs, or biased language used to describe race, color, gender, and religion — as well as threatening posts or writing about an act of terrorism.”
In a statement to reporters, Senate Democratic Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said, “I was disappointed in Sen. Parker’s tweet. Suicide is a serious issue, should not be joked about in this manner. I am glad that he has apologized.”
Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan said in a statement:
Earlier today, Senator Parker took to Twitter to tell a Senate aide to “kill yourself.” This was reprehensible and it was wrong, and there can be no justification for it. Ever.
I am angry and disappointed that Senator Parker would go after one of my employees, or any employee of the New York State Senate, in this way. Suicide is a serious issue, and his cavalier and harmful language shouldn’t be dismissed as just a poor choice of words. These words are beyond the pale and beneath the State Senate.
There is simply no place for discourse like this in politics, in government, or anywhere. Actions have consequences, and as a member of the incoming Democrat Majority in the Senate, Kevin Parker should be reprimanded by his leadership immediately.
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