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Former City Human Rights Commissioner to Run For Brooklyn DA

By Ben Fractenberg | December 6, 2016 2:24pm
 Former City Human Rights Commissioner Patricia Gatling announced she will run for Brooklyn District Attorney in 2017.
Former City Human Rights Commissioner Patricia Gatling announced she will run for Brooklyn District Attorney in 2017.
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LinkedIn/Patricia Gatling

BROOKLYN — The former head of the New York City Commission on Human Rights became the first person to announce a run for Brooklyn District Attorney next year.

Patricia Gatling headed the commission from 2002 through 2014, until she was reportedly pushed out by Public Advocate Letitia James. She threw her hat into the ring nearly two months after Brooklyn DA Ken Thompson unexpectedly died of cancer.

“I’m running for Brooklyn District Attorney to ensure a safer and more just future for ourselves and our children," Gatling said in a statement Monday. "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.”

Gatling is also a former Brooklyn assistant district attorney, where she managed legal and administration operations.

She joined the firm Windels Marx Lane & Mittendorf in October after serving as Deputy Secretary for Civil Rights under Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Gatling currently represents “public and private clients with regard to transportation equity and civil rights issues," according to her LinkedIn profile.

The former ADA said Thompson's death was "devastating for us all" and that they were longtime friends. 

"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," Gatling said. "More importantly, he was my longtime friend and colleague. Ken was a man who believed in equal justice for all.”

Interim Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez has not yet announced whether he will enter the race, but an exploratory committee was set up to look into a potential run, according to filings with the New York State Board of Elections