Political dirty tricks reported to be underway in North Hempstead

                                                                                 
                                                                                     

North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer DeSena


North Hempstead's losing Democrats apparently have already begun to try to hobble the town's newly elected Supervisor Jennifer DeSena, who ran as a Republican/Conservative though registered as a Democrat.

DeSena is the first Republican elected supervisor since then-GOP-incumbent John Kiernan lost to Democrat Ben Zwirn in 1989.

As was the case then, the opposing party still controls the town board. 

In 1989, there was a Republican board majority. Now Democrats make up four of the six board members; one Democrat, Robert Troiano,  and two Republicans, Dennis Walsh and David Adhami, were elected in November to join the board's other three Democrats.

DeSena and staff say that before she took office Jan.1,  Democrats rearranged the traditional "all-work-together" town board office to move out the two new Republicans and move in the uprooted staff of former Democratic Supervisor Judi Bosworth. The new offices designated for the Republican board members are small rooms near the supervisor's suite, her spokesman said.

New Republican town board office created by Democrats (from DeSena staff)

 

Democrats also apparently changed the access level to the revamped old town board office to lock out the Republicans, who have yet to receive key cards.

Locked door to old Town Board offices (from DeSena staff)

 At her inauguration Jan. 2, DeSena had said, "partisan party politics will no longer have a place in Town Hall," Newsday reported.

Right.

DeSena, who is the administrative head of the town, sent an email to the board and their aides on Monday asking that the office be switched back to the original arrangement. DeSena spokesman Brian Devine said today she has yet to get a response.

Didn't Democrats learn anything after the Kiernan defeat? Dirty tricks by town board Republicans to block all Zwirn initiatives turned the Democrat supervisor into a martyr. Zwirn then helped turn the entire town Democrat two years later and it remained in Democratic control for three decades.

Here is the email DeSena sent to the board members and their aides:






From: Jennifer Desena
Sent: Monday, January 3, 2022 10:47 AM
To: Brandon Gimpelman <Gimpelmanb@northhempsteadny.gov>; Erin Molyneux <molyneuxe@northhempsteadny.gov>; Hawa Bassett <bassetth@northhempsteadny.gov>; Jahnaee Harris <harrisja@northhempsteadny.gov>; Kay Farrell <farrellk@northhempsteadny.gov>; Mariann Dalimonte <Dalimontem@northhempsteadny.gov>; Meagan McCarty <mccartym@northhempsteadny.gov>; Peter Zuckerman <zuckermanp@northhempsteadny.gov>; Robert Troiano Jr <troianor@northhempsteadny.gov>; Romina Tehrany <tehranyr@northhempsteadny.gov>; Samuel Ostler <ostlers@northhempsteadny.gov>; Veronica Lurvey <lurvey@northhempsteadny.gov>
Subject: Town Board Office Space

 

Good morning,

It has come to my attention that Thursday of last week (the last day business before my administration took office) Town Board Councilmembers’ offices were moved around and rearranged, effectively relocating and secluding 4 of the 6 Councilmembers in their own private chambers.

This rearrangement has broken tradition, as the Town Board has shared a singular office space for over 20 years. I am hereby directing that it be reverted and the Town Board resumes cohabitating in one singular shared workspace. This is not only tradition, but it will also offer the greatest chance for bipartisan cooperation amongst our members as we embark on doing the work of the people of North Hempstead in an open, honest, and transparent way.

It does not matter to me who inhabits each specific office, and as such, I leave it to your collective discretion to determine for yourselves. Please notify me of such by end of business today.

Thank you in advance, and I look forward to working with all of you to move North Hempstead forward.

Sincerely,

 

Jennifer S. DeSena

Town Supervisor

 

 

 


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