Endorsements for DA amid campaign attacks

                                                                                  

Anti-Kaminsky mailer paid for by the New York Republican State Committee

It's almost September when election campaigns heat up.

But the Republican campaign against Democrat Todd Kaminsky for Nassau District Attorney is already hot.

The above mailer arrived at some households today.

Law-and-order is the main issue in the campaign to replace former Nassau District Attorney Madeline Singas, who was appointed to the state Court of Appeals in June.

State Sen. Todd Kaminsky of Long Beach, a former federal and state prosecutor, is running against Republican Anne Donnelly of Garden City, a 32-year prosecutor in Nassau's district attorney office.

A Siena Research Institute poll last month identified crime as the top concern among likely voters, reflecting the surge in crime around the county amid calls to defund the police.

Kaminsky was first out of the gate campaigning, with the slogan "A prosecutor to keep us safe."

But Donnelly has come back to attack Kaminsky for helping to write the state bail reform law adopted by the Democratic majority in Albany in 2019 that eliminated bail for most crimes, putting many alleged offenders back on the streets only hours after arrest.

"I’ve spent the last 32 years working as a prosecutor, convicting the very criminals my opponent voted to free," Donnelly has said.

Earlier this month, Kaminsky proudly announced the endorsement from his hometown police, the Long Beach Police Benevolent Association, and tweeted his endorsement by the New York State Troopers PBA.

Today, Donnelly appeared in front of the Nassau County Courthouse in Mineola with members of the Nassau Detective's Association to accept their endorsement.

 

DAI President John Wighaus said, "Anne is the only career prosecutor in this race and is the only candidate that has dedicated her entire career to removing dangerous criminals from our community."

He said the "no bail" law " did nothing more than empower criminals, took discretionary power away from our elected judges, and in turn released dangerous criminals into our communities."

"For Nassau residents, there is only one choice in this election and it is Anne Donnelly, the career prosecutor."

Donnelly also last week announced the endorsement of former Congressman Peter King of Seaford, a conservative Republican. It would have been more surprising if he hadn't endorsed her.

Still, its not clear how much difference police endorsements make.

Police unions overwhelmingly opposed Democratic state senators seeking re-election last year because of their votes for bail reform, but Nassau Democrats, including Kaminsky, still won.

Before outrage mounted last year over the criminal justice changes, Kaminsky acknowledged to some reporters that he had authored at least part of the law. But when voter anger became evident, he worked to take back some of its "get-out-of-jail-free" aspects.

Meanwhile, Nassau Republicans have been hammering Kaminsky about bail reform, in some cases identifying repeat offenders that were released and were subsequently arrested for new crimes.

The mailer is just one of example.