Democratic doings: Suozzi reunion; Gillen-Thomas rivalry; Lafazan hypocrisy

Nassau Democrats were apparently more active in the dog days of August and early September than Nassau Republicans; Many Republicans are actually out of town this week.

Suozzi reunion

First there was the Suozzi alumni party last night.

Remember that former Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi, a former Glen Cove Mayor and most recently, a former District 3 U.S. Congressman, invited all his former staffers from Glen Cove, Nassau County and Washington D.C. to a reunion last night.  

Many people saw the party as an indication that Suozzi was gearing up to run again for his old District 3 Congressional seat.

Suozzi did not seek re-election last year, deciding instead to challenge Democrat Kathy Hochul for governor. But Hochul defeated Suozzi in the Democratic primary while Republican George Santos, who has admitted lying about his background and finances, won Suozzi's old District 3 seat.

Suozzi reunion organizer Ellen Caplan on Tuesday denied the party was a fundraiser.  She emailed alumni: 

"So many of you have asked that I want to be perfectly clear. This Alumni Party is NOT a fundraiser. It is in appreciation for all that you have done for Tom over the years."

See if you can recognize some of the attendees, besides Suozzi, who is right in the middle of most of the photos:

                                                                                   

 

                                                                                  

Gillen-Thomas rivalry

Former Hempstead Supervisor Laura Gillen, who served as the first Democratic Hempstead Town supervisor in a century from 2018 through 2019, has been emailing supporters nearly every day since May to raise money for a second try for the District 4 Congressional seat now held by Republican Anthony D'Esposito.

Democrats had represented District 4 in Congress since 1996 but incumbent U.S. Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-Garden City) last year suddenly announced she would not run for re-election, setting off a scramble for the Congressional office.

Gillen won the Democratic primary but lost to D'Esposito, an Island Park Republican who often clashed with Gillen when he served on the Hempstead Town Board with her.

Gillen is determined to try again to knock out D'Esposito.

Here is a typical Gillen email:

                                                          

                      

But Democratic State Sen. Kevin Thomas of Levittown was drawn out of his seat by New York's redistricting last year. He is, however in Congressional District 4. After months of rumors, Thomas announced he would instead run for Congress, despite Gillen's active campaign.

Last month he began emailing Democrats and tweeting nearly every day.

Obviously there will have to be a primary. There are other Democrats in the race, including former Olympic Ice skater Sarah Hughes, but Thomas and Gillen appear the most active.

Lafazan hypocrisy

At least three ethics complaints have been filed against Nassau Legis. Joshua Lafazan, a Woodbury Democrat, who says he is running again this November  for the county legislature even though he spends most of his time running for the Congressional District 3 seat now held by Republican George Santos.

Assuredly, the complaints are from Republicans, but there is no doubt that Lafazan for two years failed to file legally required disclosure of a loan from a wealthy North Shore couple; he often used county resources for his Congressional campaign, seldom showed up in person for legislative meetings and sent taxpayer-paid mailings that appeared to be campaign pieces rather than legislative information.

But the ethics complaints  didn't stop Lafazan. After Newsday reported last week that musicians declined to play at at Harry Chapin tribute because of large Blakeman signs that overpowered the late musician's name on the Eisenhower Park theatre, Lafazan made a point to tell both Newsday and the Long Island Press that he was sponsoring a bill to remove politicians' names from county signs and property.

 “There is simply no justification for wasting taxpayer dollars and the labor of Nassau County’s skilled workforce to perpetuate such a brazen form of taxpayer-funded self-promotion,”he told the Long Island Press.

The other six Democratic Nassau legislators also are co-sponsors of the bill but Lafazan didn't mention that. And he didn't mention that there is no way that bill will pass the Republican-controlled legislature.

But Blakeman's public spokesman, who has remained publicly silent about Lafazan since Blakeman took office last year, couldn't let it pass this time.

Chris Boyle tweeted at least two different instances when Lafazan used county resources to promote his own name. (Forgive the poor quality reproduction.)