East Harlem Lawmaker Gibbs Says No Longer Feels Safe in Legislative Chamber After Altercation with Colleague
Assemblymember Eddie Gibbs, a Democrat and the first formerly incarcerated person to be elected to the New York State Legislature, has become increasingly uneasy about his safety at the state capitol. Last year's confrontation with Assemblymember Ari Brown over her use of derogatory language towards incarcerated people is still haunting him.
Brown had repeatedly used the term "inmate" during a floor debate in June, prompting Gibbs to confront her. The situation escalated when Brown allegedly threatened to assault Gibbs and poked him in the nose before one of the chamber's sergeants intervened. Despite receiving a letter from Gibbs detailing his concerns and allegations against Brown, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie's office has yet to take any action.
Gibbs feels that he no longer feels safe attending legislative sessions or committee meetings due to Brown's threats. The assemblymember, who was once dedicated to advocating for prisoners' rights, now fears for his mental well-being after receiving online harassment and experiencing other forms of intimidation.
In an effort to leave the hostile environment behind, Gibbs has decided not to seek re-election this November, citing the toll that Brown's behavior has taken on his life. The decision comes as a shock to advocates who had pinned their hopes on him for furthering prison reform efforts.
"This is a very sad day," said Jose Saldana, director of Release Aging People in Prison advocacy group. "He represents a community that has been neglected by the state of New York, and his colleagues are failing them."
Gibbs' experience highlights some of the challenges faced by non-traditional candidates who challenge the established order at the State Capitol, where seniority plays a significant role. The marginalizing experiences of formerly incarcerated individuals in other areas of life have eerily mirrored Gibbs' struggles, leaving advocates feeling frustrated and helpless.
As for Brown, she has downplayed the incident, stating that tensions run high in the chamber and that heated exchanges occur "from time to time." However, Gibbs will not be silenced, using his platform to raise awareness about the issues he faces as a victim of verbal abuse.
Assemblymember Eddie Gibbs, a Democrat and the first formerly incarcerated person to be elected to the New York State Legislature, has become increasingly uneasy about his safety at the state capitol. Last year's confrontation with Assemblymember Ari Brown over her use of derogatory language towards incarcerated people is still haunting him.
Brown had repeatedly used the term "inmate" during a floor debate in June, prompting Gibbs to confront her. The situation escalated when Brown allegedly threatened to assault Gibbs and poked him in the nose before one of the chamber's sergeants intervened. Despite receiving a letter from Gibbs detailing his concerns and allegations against Brown, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie's office has yet to take any action.
Gibbs feels that he no longer feels safe attending legislative sessions or committee meetings due to Brown's threats. The assemblymember, who was once dedicated to advocating for prisoners' rights, now fears for his mental well-being after receiving online harassment and experiencing other forms of intimidation.
In an effort to leave the hostile environment behind, Gibbs has decided not to seek re-election this November, citing the toll that Brown's behavior has taken on his life. The decision comes as a shock to advocates who had pinned their hopes on him for furthering prison reform efforts.
"This is a very sad day," said Jose Saldana, director of Release Aging People in Prison advocacy group. "He represents a community that has been neglected by the state of New York, and his colleagues are failing them."
Gibbs' experience highlights some of the challenges faced by non-traditional candidates who challenge the established order at the State Capitol, where seniority plays a significant role. The marginalizing experiences of formerly incarcerated individuals in other areas of life have eerily mirrored Gibbs' struggles, leaving advocates feeling frustrated and helpless.
As for Brown, she has downplayed the incident, stating that tensions run high in the chamber and that heated exchanges occur "from time to time." However, Gibbs will not be silenced, using his platform to raise awareness about the issues he faces as a victim of verbal abuse.
I think it's harsh to say that Brown's behavior is "hostile environment" towards Gibbs... sure she used a term that bothered him, but has she really done anything else wrong? 
Gibbs should've taken the high road and just ignored her, or maybe even talked to his colleagues about it instead of involving the Speaker's office... I mean, come on, no one's perfect, right? 
Gibbs is kinda overreacting if you ask me. He was a proponent for prisoners' rights, now he's giving up because of a little verbal sparring? 
It's not like Brown threatened to hurt him physically... that's what's got him all shook up 
. It's crazy that he can't even walk into the legislative chamber without feeling threatened. I get that everyone gets heated in those situations, but threats and physical altercations? That's just not okay 
. And it's not just Gibbs, it's a lot of people who've been marginalized or incarcerated who are already struggling to be heard. It's like, we need more support and less drama 
. I wish the speaker's office would've taken action against Ari Brown, that's just basic respect 
. Now that Gibbs is leaving, it's like, what's next? Are his colleagues gonna step up or just let things go? I hope we can do better than this 
.
... it's super concerning that Assemblymember Ari Brown is still walkin' free despite allegedly threatenin' and harassin' him! 
And to make matters worse, the Speaker's office is all like "meh" about the whole thing 
. I mean, what's goin' on here? Gibbs was elected to advocate for prisoners' rights, but now he's too afraid to even show up to work? That's some messed up stuff right there 
. Gibbs is speakin' out and raisin' awareness about this issue, and that's what we need more of 
!
assemblymember brown needs to take responsibility for her actions and apologize profusely to gibbs and the community he's fighting for 
i feel like his safety and well-being should be priority no 1 in the legislative chamber!! i hope he finds support and help to get thru this tough time 
No seriously though, it's crazy that Eddie Gibbs is feeling like he can't even attend sessions without being intimidated. It's not just him, either - all the people who are fighting for prison reform and stuff deserve better than this. And what really gets me is that nobody in the Speaker's office is taking any action to address this. Like, what's going on there? Are they just letting this kind of thing happen because Gibbs was a former inmate or something? 
after that whole altercations w/ brown, i think its time for her 2 reflect on her words & actions she made him feel like shes all about manipulatin ppl, not really care bout prisoners rights at all 
. It's like they're more worried about maintaining their power than keeping ppl safe 
- we need more ppl like him who aren't afraid to speak up! 
this is so disheartening... I'm literally shaking with anger 
when I think about what's happening in that chamber. The fact that Eddie Gibbs has had to drop out of politics due to Brown's behavior is just a nightmare come true 
. I mean, can't they see how toxic their environment is? It's not like we're talking about some casual joke or disagreement... this was an actual physical threat and verbal abuse 
.
I'm really disappointed in how Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie's office handled this situation... I mean, come on! A threat is a threat, no matter what you call it 
.
I'm really bummed out about Eddie Gibbs' decision not to seek re-election 
. It just goes to show how far we have to go in creating a safe space for marginalized communities 
. Can't we find a way to create a culture of respect and empathy at the Capitol? 
seriously though? can't even have a respectful convo without someone tryna assault you in the chamber 
. The fact that she's downplayed the incident and not taken any action against her is concerning 
. As someone who's passionate about prison reform, it's devastating to see Gibbs leaving his seat due to the mental toll of Brown's behavior 