It’s bare-knuckles politics.
A Wednesday night candidates forum in Yonkers took a wild turn when the Democratic contender for a county legislative seat got into a bizarre bathroom brawl – with her opponent’s mom.
Kisha Skipper, a Democrat who is trying to unseat GOP Westchester County Legislator James Nolan, was handcuffed and detained by cops after the violent restroom scuffle at the Beczak Environmental Center in the suburban city, according to police and reports.
“There is absolutely no justification for violence,” Nolan posted on Instagram. “Anyone seeking public office is expected to demonstrate sound judgment, self-control, and the ability to handle confrontation without resorting to physical aggression.
“These standards are not optional,” he wrote. “This is a clear example of why she is not fit to serve public office.”
Skipper chimed in on the scuffle in an early-morning Facebook post, which shows her wearing a sling on her arm at the entrance to the hospital emergency room.
“Let me just say, I know there’s a lot of video, a lot of misinformation being spread,” she said. “No, I was not arrested. Yes, I was detained pending an investigation. Of course, I was released, and there will be more information forthcoming.”
The melee unfolded during a break at the event, when Skipper allegedly got into a dispute with a former campaign staffer, Yonkers police said.
That’s when Nolan’s mom, Donna, tried to get in between the two women and “sustained an abrasion to her lip,” cops said in a release.
According to local outlet Black Westchester, Skipper had been asked about alleged questionable campaign donations during the debate but took a bathroom break without answering before the brawl.
Mobile phone video shows several women confronting each other at the entrance to the restroom, and being separated by several attendees at the event.
Donna Nolan was taken to the hospital by ambulance but no details on any injuries she may have sustained were immediately available.
Meanwhile, Yonkers cops confirmed that Skipper was released without charges but said the investigation is continuing, with detectives conducting interviews, collecting evidence and reviewing video footage.
“At this time, the incident appears to have been precipitated from a personal matter and has not been determined to be politically motivated,” police said. “Currently, no individuals are in police custody and no criminal charges have been filed against any party involved.”
Skipper is president of the Yonkers branch of the NAACP, according to her bio, which describes her as a survivor of a “debilitating battle with COVID-19 that left her oxygen-dependent and limited in mobility for an extended period.”
Nolan, who was first elected as a county lawmaker in November 2021, is the founder of the Michael Nolan Foundation — named after his brother, an Oakland A’s prospect who was killed in a 2015 drive-by in Yonkers.
