Dueling press conferences -- within Nassau GOP

                                                                                  

Former U.S. Senator Al D'amato talks next to Anthony D'Esposito (right)  at news conference Monday

It's not unusual for elected officials to have competing news conferences as one tries to draw media attention away from the other.

But the dueling pressers are almost always between elected officials from different political parties,  rather then from the same side of the aisle.

Not this Monday.

Republican Hempstead Town Councilman Anthony D'Esposito announced a news conference at 11:45 a.m. Monday in front of the Island Park fire house to kick off his campaign to win the Congressional seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-Garden City.).

A few hours before D'Esposito put out his alert on Sunday,  Republican County Executive Bruce Blakeman announced a news conference at 12 p.m. Monday in front of the Nassau University Medical Center to oppose the proposed takeover of the East Meadow hospital.

That's 15 minutes apart. And Island Park is way more than 15 minutes away from East Meadow.

Insiders say D'Esposito had planned his event several days in advance, coordinating with elected officials and union officials who attended. He refused to move it. Blakeman's team also refused to reschedule, probably because his event included many hospital employees who would be taking their lunch hour to attend.

So there was this somewhat odd incident as a result of the scheduling conflict:

Blakeman  introduced his choice for NUMC Chairman Matthew Bruderman. He said "because of political shenanigans" the county legislature would have to first appoint Bruderman to the NUMC board  (on Friday) and then Blakeman would name him chairman.

The Republican-controlled legislature is "behind us 100 percent," Blakeman said.

"I want to thank Rich Nicolello (the legislature's presiding officer) Blakeman said. "Rich couldn't be with us today."

Nicolello, of New Hyde Park, couldn't be with Blakeman because he was at D'Esposito's presser.

The D'Esposito event also featured Nassau Republican Chairman Joseph Cairo, former U.S. Sen. Alfonse D'Amato, Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin, town elected officials, the wife of a slain police officer, Nassau Detective's Association president John Wighaus, and presidents of the Nassau Corrections Benevolent Association, the Nassau Superior Officers Association and union officials from the Floral Park, Lynbrook, and Long Beach PBA's.

D'Esposito is a retired Nassau City police detective and former chief of the Island Park fire department. His emphasis is on fighting rising crime while attacking progressives, bail reform and defund the police initiatives.

Blakeman's presser included Republican legislators Steve Rhoads and Rose Marie Walker, Nassau Comptroller Elaine Phillips, Police Commissioner Pat Ryder, police officers, volunteer firefighters, health care professionals and hospital employees.

Blakeman's main point was that Bruderman, a wealthy businessman, was the right choice to turn around the always financially ailing hospital, fix its finances and save its first level trauma care unit and certified burn center, the only similar trauma and burn centers on Long Island.

Blakeman acknowledged that Bruderman's blunt, politically incorrect conversational style "had ruffled alot of feathers."

"I don't care what you say as long as you fix it," he told Bruderman.

Bruderman replied, "I’m going to fix it."

                                                                                 

Blakeman news conference

But though the 12 Republican legislators may be 100 percent behind Bruderman, Democratic county lawmakers are 100 percent against him:

All seven Democrats put out a statement yesterday saying Bruderman was not fit to be chairman of NuHealth, the public health care corporation that runs the hospital and related medical facilities.

“First things first, Mr. Bruderman: There is no such thing as ‘good racism’ - period. Any person who condones ‘good racism’ is unfit for public service at any level, " the statement said.

Newsday reported that Bruderman, at a closed-door session with the NUMC board, had said, " "I tell my kids there's like good racism, bad racism, you know from the standpoint of people's perspective they judge people, and I tell my kids all the time: You shouldn't get something because of your religion, your color of your skin, or whatever else. You shouldn't get something. And you shouldn't have it taken away, either. You should be blind, you should be agnostic. And those same principles should be here in this hospital." 

Nassau Democratic lawmakers' statement continued. "While that utterance alone should be disqualifying, it appears County Executive Blakeman will still attempt an end-run around the courts to force Mr. Bruderman onto NuHealth’s board during a special meeting of the Legislature on Friday, April 1."

"The County Executive’s brazen, unrelenting efforts to install this individual at the helm of NuHealth are yet another grotesque example of the arrogance that permeates his administration and a pattern of utter disdain for the courts, the rule of law, and the best interests of Nassau County residents.”