Two Republicans and a Democrat cross-endorsed for Supreme Court

All those Democratic judges and lawyers hoping to be nominated and cross-endorsed for a Supreme Court judgeship this fall can stop kissing up to Nassau and State Democratic chairman Jay Jacobs or other members of party selection committee.

The cross-endorsements, expected to be issued next month, have been decided -- for now, sources say.

Cross-endorsed Supreme Court candidates in this November's elections are Republicans Lisa Cairo, a Nassau Family Court judge,
and Francis Ricigliano, a Nassau County Court Judge,

 and Democrat Stacy Bennett, a Family Court judge who has been an acting Supreme Court Justice for ten years.

Stacy Bennett (from nylaw)

There are rumors of another Democratic Supreme Court justice being cross-endorsed for the fall elections but that has not been confirmed.

The Republicans candidates come with party lineage: Lisa Cairo is the daughter  of Nassau Republican Chairman Joseph Cairo. Ricigliano is the son of the late Michael Ricigliano, who was law partners with former Nassau Republican Chairman Joseph Margiotta.

Bennett is a former partner in the Jaspan Schlesinger law firm. Actually, so was Lisa Cairo.

Co-managing partner Steve Schlesinger is the former law chairman of the Nassau Democratic party and a top elections lawyer.

Ricigliano was not included on the list of nine lawyers and lower-level judges being screened for Supreme Court by the Nassau Bar Association this week. Lisa Cairo was the only Republican on that list.

But a few hopefuls may wind up on another bench, given the ongoing chess game going on in Nassau's courts this year. Another district court judge is expected to be nominated and confirmed by the county legislature next week after the legislature appointed four new judges to the bench two weeks ago, with additional slots opening up across the board this year.