A New York state senator apologized on Tuesday after telling a Twitter user who called him out over a parking placard to "kill yourself."
“I sincerely apologize," Kevin Parker (D) wrote about his since-deleted tweet. “I used a poor choice of words. Suicide is a serious thing and and [sic] should not be made light of.”
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
Candice Giove, deputy communications director for the New York state Senate's Republican majority, originally called out Parker for a potential violation in response to a tweet about cars parked in a New York City bike lane.
"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."
Things not to tweet when you're a state senator pic.twitter.com/7jQGWhL3nJ
— J. David Goodman (@jdavidgoodman) December 18, 2018
Giove reacted to Parker's tweet by asking, "Did a Senator just write this to me?"
Did a Senator just write this to me? https://t.co/qhR0Uzarrv
— Candice Giove (@candicegiove) December 18, 2018
New York state Senate Democratic Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said she “was disappointed in Senator Parker’s tweet” in a statement released to The Hill.
“Suicide is a serious issue and should not be joked about in this manner. I am glad that he has apologized,” the statement read.
Parker's office did not immediately respond to The Hill's request for comment on the tweet.
--Updated at 1:21 p.m.
