'Kill Yourself,' Brooklyn Senator Kevin Parker Tells Aide

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK — State Sen. Kevin Parker ordered a government aide to kill herself Tuesday in a public tweet that has since been deleted.

The East Flatbush representative messaged Candice Giove, deputy communications director for the New York State Senate's Republican majority, after she accused the state senator of placard abuse Tuesday morning, photos of the since-deleted tweet show.

"The placard is assigned to @SenatorParker," Giove tweeted at about 10:30 a.m. "He either used it in another car or gave it to someone to use, both of which are not permitted."

"Kill yourself!" Parker replied.

Oh my word. pic.twitter.com/DB7KgEZj8s
— Jon Campbell (@JonCampbellGAN) December 18, 2018

Parker deleted the Tweet and sent Giove an apology about 30 minutes later.

"I used a poor choice of words," Parker wrote. "Suicide is a serious thing and and should not be made light of."

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Parker quickly tempered his apology with follow-up tweets that called Giove out for her work with the Independent Democratic Conference and asserting she was "on the wrong side of history for every important issue facing New York State."

"Point of order, Senator," replied Walter Shaub, former director of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics. "It’s customary after apologizing for telling someone to kill herself that one lays off the social media attacks for a while.

"Or, if that’s not possible, to delete one’s account."

Neither Giove nor a Parker spokesperson replied immediately to Patch's request for comment.

Parker was responding to Giove's allegation that one of his placards — a city-issued parking permit alerting traffic cops that the vehicle belongs to a public official — was seen in a car parked illegally in the Second Avenue bike lane between East 43rd and 44th streets.

Giove wrote that the placard use was not permitted as it did not match the license plate.

This is not the first time Parker's treatment of government aides has made headlines.

One of Parker's aides filed charges against him in 2008 for pushing her during an argument in his campaign headquarters, the New York Times reported at the time.

Parker — who represents Flatbush, Prospect Park South, Windsor Terrace and Park Slope — was also sentenced to three years probation in 2011 for chasing a New York Post photographer, damaging his car and trying to wrestle away his camera, according to the Times.

The Brooklyn state senator is currently the co-chair of City Councilman Jumaane William's campaign for Public Advocate and the co-sponsor a bill that would require social media screenings for gun buyers.

Incoming Senate Democratic Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins responded to Parker's social media message with an official statement.

"I was disappointed in Senator Parker’s tweet," Stewart-Cousins said. "Suicide is a serious issue and should not be joked about in this manner. I am glad that he has apologized."

Update: Parker stepped down from his position as co-chair of Jumaane Williams' public advocate campaign, the city councilman said in a statement.

“I’m very concerned by the statement I saw from Senator Parker on social media earlier today," said Williams. "We have both agreed that it’s best for him to step down as co-chair of my campaign for Public Advocate."

Photo courtesy of the New York State Senate

Patch editor Noah Manskar contributed to this report.