Amid his own battle against rape allegations, a New York state senator has challenged the constitutionality of a law he once supported, the Adult Survivors Act. Senator Kevin Parker, who voted in favor of the act in 2021, now argues that it violates due process and equal protection rights.
A New York state senator is facing legal challenges over the constitutionality of a law that he originally voted for, amidst his own fight against accusations of rape.
Democratic State Sen. Kevin Parker argued in a court filing earlier this month that the Adult Survivors Act, a law that he voted in favor of, was unconstitutional, according to a report from the New York Post. Parker's argument comes as he faces a lawsuit over allegations he raped Olga Jean-Baptiste in 2004 while the two were working together on Haiti relief efforts, accusations that Parker has denied.
The lawsuit against Parker was allowed to move forward thanks to the 2021 Adult Survivors Act, which allowed alleged victims to file civil lawsuits within a certain window of time even if the statute of limitations had run out. The lawsuit against Parker over the 2004 allegations was filed in November 2023, just inside the window created by the law.
The same law was used by E. Jean Carroll in a 2022 lawsuit against former President Trump, whom Carroll claimed had sexually assaulted her in 1995 or 1996.
Parker, who voted in favor of the since-expired law in 2021, highlighted that vote when the rape lawsuit was filed against him last year, arguing that he "voted in favor" of the law in order to "ensure all New Yorkers can seek justice and be heard."
"These allegations are absolutely untrue," Parker said at the time. "My work and advocacy will continue."
Parker has long been a controversial figure for his apparent temper, the New York Post reported, noting a 2005 misdemeanor assault charge the lawmaker received after punching a New York City traffic officer in the face after the officer wrote him a ticket for double-parking.
In 2009, Parker was arrested and charged with felony criminal mischief and assault after chasing a New York Post photographer and damaging the photographer’s camera and breaking his finger. He was eventually found guilty of misdemeanor criminal mischief charges and ordered to take anger-management classes.
Parker is being represented in the case by attorney Lonnie Hart Jr., who did not immediately return a Fox News Digital request for comment. Parker’s office did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.
Legal experts have expressed mixed opinions on Parker's legal arguments, with some arguing that the Adult Survivors Act is unconstitutional while others maintain that it is a necessary step towards addressing past sexual abuse and assault.
The outcome of Parker's case could have broader implications for the Adult Survivors Act and similar laws in other states, as well as for the ongoing debate over the rights of alleged sexual assault victims.
