New York state Senator Kevin Parker has come under fire for allegedly shoving a lobbyist before a committee meeting on energy and telecommunications in the state capital building in Albany. The lobbyist, Michael Carey, has filed charges against Parker, claiming that he was assaulted after questioning the senator’s lack of remorse over the death of his son in state care. According to Carey, Parker told him “I don’t care” when he tried to explain the situation, prompting him to call out the senator’s indifference in front of others present. Parker allegedly lunged at Carey after the confrontation, leading onlookers to restrain him.
Parker, who heads the state’s Standing Committee on Energy and Telecommunications, later made light of the incident during the committee meeting, joking that his meetings were always “exciting” and hoping that Wednesday’s session would be “as exciting as the pregame.” The altercation and Parker’s subsequent comments have raised concerns about his conduct and temperament, especially in light of previous allegations of inappropriate behavior.
In 2023, Parker was accused of raping a woman early in his legislative career, and in 2005, he was arrested for punching a traffic agent who gave him a ticket. He was also convicted of misdemeanor criminal mischief charges in 2010 after damaging a photographer’s camera. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
