On October 3rd, State Assemblyman Eddie Gibbs, a political ally of Mayor Eric Adams, found himself in the spotlight when he was arrested by city police. However, it’s important to note that his arrest is not connected to any scandal involving Adams. Instead, it arose from Gibbs’ attempt to intervene during a police stop of his brother’s vehicle for a traffic violation.

According to reports, the incident occurred around 1:30 PM when the city’s Strategic Response Group pulled over Gibbs’ brother’s car near East 117th Street and Lexington Avenue in Harlem for a broken tail light.

Gibbs arrived on the scene shortly after and identified himself to the police. He attempted to direct his brother to exit the vehicle, but police officers instructed the driver to remain inside. They urged Gibbs to step back several times as tensions rose. Ultimately, Gibbs was arrested and cited for disturbing the peace after disregarding repeated warnings from law enforcement.

This is not the first time Gibbs has encountered legal troubles. In the late 1980s, he was involved in cocaine distribution and served a year at Rikers Island on a murder charge that was later reduced to manslaughter through a plea deal. Gibbs argued that he acted in self-defense during a shooting incident related to a home invasion. In 2022, he made history as the first former felon to be elected to the state assembly.

Additionally, Gibbs is currently facing allegations of wrongful termination from a former employee, who filed a lawsuit in June claiming he was fired illegally while recovering in the hospital after losing a leg due to injuries.

Despite these challenges, Gibbs has maintained strong connections with Mayor Adams and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie. In this year’s Democratic primary for the state assembly, Gibbs secured his position by a narrow margin, winning by just 500 votes over his opponent.