This should not come as a shock since they also elected Andrew Cuomo as governor. But, then again, he killed people with his nursing home edict after he was elected.
Eddie Gibbs secured that nomination during a meeting of Democratic Party members and although he hasn’t officially won the seat, it is a district in which the Democratic nominee always wins. The general election will be on January 18th.
Gibbs, 54, was convicted of manslaughter in 1988 after pleading guilty to killing Otis Frasier at Manhattan’s Johnson Houses. He ran unsuccessfully for the Assembly in 2010.
Gibbs claimed he shot the man after he was stabbed in the leg. He served five and a half years for that crime.
Prior to his manslaughter conviction, he was convicted of selling crack cocaine in the 80s and for domestic violence in 1977. His case is unusual since Democrats usually are not convicted of crimes until after they are elected. In New York state, ex-convicts are allowed to run for political office.
Since his release from prison, he has worked as a political consultant, which is one step above being a lawyer.
In a Facebook post, Gibbs held himself up as an example:
“As a result of the remorse I showed and the mitigating circumstances, I was given a lenient sentence by the court. Until this day I am very apologetic and disappointed by my actions and do not make any excuses for them.”
“I can also assure you that the 17 year old boy who made those poor decisions, those 35+ years ago, is not the man who stands here before you today.”
“My name on the ballot serves as the outcome of a fair criminal justice system and a commitment to redemption.”
“As a way to give back, my plan is to dedicate a large part of my campaign to educating my constituents, and, all Former incarcerated individuals on local politics. In under served communities there are often many myths that accompany their willingness or unwillingness to vote and it is my goal to be a liaison between what is a fact and what is fiction.”
Gibbs will face opposition in January from Tamika Mapp, a businesswoman who did not get the Democratic nomination. A long-shot GOP candidate is also likely to be on the ballot.
