Above the Law — Not
Even in a town full of elected officials with inflated senses of entitlement, Assemblywoman Diana Richardson stands out. The Brooklyn Democrat threw an “on blast” social-media hissy fit at the NYPD traffic-enforcement agent who caught her abusing her special parking placard — which she seems to think lets her park anywhere she likes, whenever she wants.
Rookie agent Nazir Raghubit issued her a $115 citation after she plopped her Nissan in front of her district office in a spot clearly marked “NO STANDING ANYTIME.”
That means everyone: The rules state just as clearly that placard perks don’t apply in a No Standing zone.
Richardson could have contested the ticket in court by citing extenuating circumstances ( I was at my office on official business), apologizing and promising not to do it again.
Instead, she went straight to Facebook, naming the agent and complaining that “this is not right,” given how “hard I fight for our community.” She also stressed that she had her “Official Business Pass in the window” — as if it were a license to park anywhere.
Placard abuse has become a virtual way of life. That’s why Mayor de Blasio (whose office hands out more than 160,000 such cards, including to 55 state legislators) recently launched a crackdown.
As for Diana Richardson, she should can the threats against NYPD personnel, learn the parking rules — and lose the attitude.