Disability rights advocate says state senator with violent history shoved him at New York Capitol

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — A disability rights advocate made a complaint to New York State Police saying he was shoved twice in the state capitol building by state Sen. Kevin Parker, a Brooklyn Democrat with a history of violent behavior.

Michael Carey said his confrontation with Parker took place Wednesday after he approached the senator before a committee meeting and asked him to cosponsor a piece of legislation. Parker lost his temper, Carey said, after the advocate described the legislation as tackling a “Dr. Martin Luther King type of situation” regarding discrimination against people with disabilities.

Carey said the senator got inches from his face and yelled “I don’t care.”

Carey, who became an advocate after his son Jonathan died while in state care, said he responded “You don’t care that my son died?”

He said Parker then grabbed him by his shoulders and shoved him, causing him to stumble backward. Carey said Parker then shoved him again.