New York: Racists? They ask questions.

State Sen. Kevin Parker erupts again with raced-based rant, and even allies are concerned





BY Celeste Katz and Kenneth Lovett
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
Wednesday, April 28th 2010, 2:11 PM



Berman for NewsState Sen. Kevin Parker Related NewsALBANY - Hothead state Sen. Kevin Parker erupted again Tuesday, this time with a race-based rant that rattled even his supporters.

"He needs help," said Sen. Ruben Diaz (D-Bronx), an ally who witnessed the latest angry outbursts. "He lost control of himself."

Parker exploded in anger at fellow Sen. John DeFrancisco, a Syracuse Republican, who was questioning a nominee to the New York Power Authority.

DeFrancisco, who is white, asked Mark O'Luck, who is black, about the nominee's prior claim that without programs for minorities, whites and the affluent "would have access to nearly 100%" of government funding.

As DeFrancisco told O'Luck he can't fault everyone who's prospered, Parker began screaming that the GOPer was "out of order."

"How dare you!" Parker shouted, at one point referring to "you racist people in here."

"I've never seen a white appointee be treated like this, in such rude fashion!" the Brooklyn Democrat yelled.

In a scene straight out of the Al Pacino movie "And Justice for All," Parker was repeatedly ruled out order.

"You're out of order!" he screamed back. "This committee's out of order!"

Amid the nearly two-minute tirade, committee chairman Carl Kruger (D-Brooklyn) told Parker he would be removed from the hearing room if he didn't settle down.

"Then get somebody to remove me," he said. "Bring people, though."

DeFrancisco later had little to say about the incident. "It speaks for itself," he said.

Parker dismissed the incident as a "heated debate" - but maintained DeFrancisco's line of questioning was beneath the "decorum" of the Senate.

He shrugged off his warning to Krueger to "bring people," saying, "We're all prone to hyperbole."

Parker, who had been ordered to anger management after being accused of punching a traffic agent, is currently under felony indictment on a charge he assaulted a news photographer.

Earlier this year, the imposing Parker screamed at fellow Democratic Sen. Diane Savino of Staten Island and charged toward her during an emotional closed-door Democratic conference.








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