Former City Human Rights Commissioner and Brooklyn Assistant District Attorney Patricia Gatling yesterday officially threw her hat in the ring in next year’s Kings County District Attorney’s race.
Gatling is the first candidate to officially enter the race following the unexpected and tragic death of Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson who died two months ago. Interim District Attorney Eric Gonzalez is also expected to enter the race in the near future.
“I’m running for Brooklyn District Attorney to ensure a safer and more just future for ourselves and our children. The hallmark of my campaign and future administration will be integrity and truth equals justice! My administration will be transparent and accountable to all Brooklynites,” said Gatling.
Gatling said she will run in the September 2017 Democratic primary, and if successful in the November 2017 general election.
Gatling served as the City’s Human Rights Commissioner from 2001-2014, where she was unceremoniously fired after Public Advocate Letitia James wrote a letter to Mayor Bill de Blasio complaining that she was ineffective. Despite James’ and de Blasio’s decision, however, Gatling most recently served as Deputy Secretary for Civil Rights under Governor Andrew Cuomo, where she oversaw the Department of Civil Service, the Governor’s Office of Employee Relations, the Division of Veterans Affairs, the Division of Human Rights, and the Public Employee Relations Board.
Prior to that, Gatling was the First Assistant District Attorney at the Brooklyn DA’s office under former prosecutor Charles Hynes, where she managed the legal and administrative operations of 1500 law enforcement professionals. Under Hynes, she also served in several supervisory capacities, including Bureau Chief of the Major Narcotics Investigation Bureau.
“District Attorney Thompson’s passing was devastating for us all. As former First Assistant District Attorney in Brooklyn, I have a tremendous amount of respect for the office, and I know the work he did was invaluable to the people of our borough. More importantly, he was my longtime friend and colleague. Ken was a man who believed in equal justice for all.” said Gatling. “When elected District Attorney, I vow to continue all the progress he made by making sure the office treats people with fairness and respect, while protecting all Brooklynites regardless of where they’re from, how they identify, or what they believe in.”
While Gatling made the announcement, Gonzalez told KCP yesterday at the Borough Park JCC Annual Breakfast, that he too is planning to run, but is not making a formal announcement yet.
Gonzalez pointed out that he grew up in and comes from the streets of Williamsburg and East New York back when crime was at an all-time high, and that he is a lifelong prosecutor committed to keeping the streets safe with justice for all, as well as carrying on Thompson’s legacy for criminal justice reform. Thompson himself appointed Gonzalez as the interim DA just days before he died.
Gonzalez has been busy making the rounds and has seemingly been everywhere of late. He said he is doing this as part of a listening tour to learn about various criminal justice issues in Brooklyn diverse neighborhoods and to introduce himself.
Several other names are being bantered about as possible candidates including term-limited City Councilman Vincent Gentile and former ADA Anne Swern.
