LIuncoverednews

                                                                                  Democrat New York Attorney General Letitia James and most of the news media are accusing Republican President Donald Trump of political retribution in yesterday's federal indictment of James on bank fraud charges. Prosecutors contend James purchased a second home in Norfolk, Va. in August 2020 and then leased it to tenants after telling the mortgage bank that she would use it as a second residence, which carries better terms than a rental property. The move allegedly saved her $19,000, the New York Post reports. James denies the charges and accused Trump of instigating the indictment. "These charges are baseless, and the president’s own public statements make clear that his only goal is political retrib...

  Barring any personal feuds, the Nassau Police Benevolent Association traditionally endorses local political candidates that internal union polls indicate are most likely to win. They are not always right.  However, if the union is accurate this year,  it means Republicans will keep the majority on the 19-member legislature but again will fall short of the 13 members needed for a super majority. Political insiders consider that only a few seats are in play this November: There is District 14, now held by Republican Bill Gaylor of Lynbrook and District 16, filled by Democratic Arnold Drucker, elected after longtime Democratic legislator and former presiding officer Judy Jacobs died in 2016.  Gaylor is not seeking re-election in the traditional Republican district that was redrawn to be more competitive for both parties this year. Democrat Cynthia Nunez, a member of the Valley Stream  school board, is running against Republican Sheharyar Ali, an attorney from Elm...

Generally, attack ads don't go out until after Labor Day in election years. After all, most families are not home the week before school begins. If they are home, they certainly are not attending political functions. But an attack ad against Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a Republican running for re-election this November, has already dropped. (See above)  It blasts Blakeman for supporting a five-story apartment complex above the Lawrence train station. Blakeman, while a member of the HempsteadTown Board, spearheaded a zoning change to encourage transit-oriented development near the Lawrence and Inwood LIRR station. Former Democratic Hempstead Town Supervisor Laura Gillen supported the "massive" apartment complex. The Hempstead Town board has since repealed the zoning change, but a state supreme court judge ruled they it did not follow state law in nixing the revision. And developers had already begun work. But let's face it, five stories is massive for a sub...

John Ferretti       Don Clavin  Just a quick hit:  It occurs to political old-timers that   perhaps people new to the quirks of   Nassau County politics may not know   how the system works.   For example, there seems to be   amazement and consternation among   Democrats that former Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin, a Garden City Republican, has stayed on the public payroll in some fashion since he resigned as supervisor....to make way for Nassau Legislator John Ferretti, a Levittown Republican,  to be appointed supervisor by the Republican-controlled town board so he can run as an incumbent in the November elections. Democrats are making a big fuss over the Ferretti appointment. But that's the way it has always worked in Republican-controlled Hempstead Town. The Republican town board appoints the new supervisor to run as an incumbent while the former supervisor takes another, often a less ...

Don Clavin                                                                                       Both sides of the political aisle were buzzing last week about a "secret" plan to move Republican Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin from town hall to a Nassau courthouse. The only disagreement among the politicos was whether Clavin, a lawyer from Garden City, would be moved to the County Court or Supreme Court bench. One rumor suggests both. It's very confusing.  It rests on the election calendar. Tomorrow, April 7 is the last day to accept or decline a nomination. April 11 is the last day to fill a vacancy. April 15 is the last day to authorize a substitution,. So Clavin would have to decline his nomination for re-election in November to his town job and accept a courthou...

Two new District Court judges are expected to be appointed by the Nassau legislature this month while  a new Nassau Surrogate will take office next January. All are considered competent lawyers, but of course politics play a part in the moves. James Saladino, a Suffolk District Court judge, has been recommended by Republican County Executive Bruce Blakeman to be appointed a judge in Nassau's 4th District Court, which covers Oyster Bay and Glen Cove. James Saladino is the brother of Republican Oyster Bay Supervisor Joe Saladino and is the son of a late Republican Supreme Court Justice Joseph J. Saladino. James Saladino, who served in various Suffolk legal position, must have moved into Nassau. Also recommended for appointment is Maria Boultadakis to Nassau's 2nd District Court in Hempstead. A law clerk for three successive Republican Supreme Court justices,  Boudtadakis is the daughter of Nick Boudtakakis, owner of the Sands Castle in Franklin Square. The restaurant and caterin...