Bay Ridge

Report: Eric Garner’s daughter eyeing run against Donovan

December 16, 2015 By Paula Katinas Brooklyn Daily Eagle
U.S. Rep. Dan Donovan was the Staten Island district attorney at the time the Garner case was being investigated by a grand jury. Eagle file photo by Paula Katinas
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The daughter of the late Eric Garner is considering running against U.S. Rep. Dan Donovan (R-C-Southwest Brooklyn-Staten Island) in 2016, according to a report in the New York Post.

“I’m considering it,” Erica Garner, 25, told the Post on Dec. 11.

Her father, Eric Garner, 44, died while in police custody on Staten Island on July 17, 2014 in what became known as the chokehold case. In an incident captured on video, police officers were restraining Garner while attempting to arrest him. Garner could be heard repeatedly telling the cops “I can’t breathe.” His death was ruled a homicide by the medical examiner.

Donovan, the Staten Island district attorney at the time, presented the case against NYPD Officer Daniel Pantaleo to a grand jury. In a decision that led to widespread protest demonstrations around the country and calls against police brutality, the grand jury chose not to indict the cop.

Donovan ran for the House seat in the 11th Congressional District when a special election was held in May to replace Republican Congressman Michael Grimm, who pleaded guilty to federal tax fraud and resigned.

In the special election on May 5, Donovan won nearly 60 percent of the vote, easily defeating Democrat Vincent Gentile, a Bay Ridge councilmember.

Technically, he was elected to fill out the remainder of Grimm’s term, which will end in 2016. If he wishes to remain in Congress, he will have to run for reelection in November of 2016.

The Post reported that Democratic elected officials on Staten Island urged Garner to meet with political leaders and formulate a campaign platform in order to move forward with a candidacy.

Donovan’s spokesperson had no comment on the Post article.

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