Clavin to become a judge?

Don Clavin

                                                                                     

Both sides of the political aisle were buzzing last week about a "secret" plan to move Republican Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin from town hall to a Nassau courthouse.

The only disagreement among the politicos was whether Clavin, a lawyer from Garden City, would be moved to the County Court or Supreme Court bench.

One rumor suggests both.

It's very confusing. 

It rests on the election calendar. Tomorrow, April 7 is the last day to accept or decline a nomination. April 11 is the last day to fill a vacancy. April 15 is the last day to authorize a substitution,.

So Clavin would have to decline his nomination for re-election in November to his town job and accept a courthouse slot.

The story goes that Clavin will be substituted for a cross-endorsed county court nominee after the current candidate, reportedly former Assemb. Tom Alfano, declines. Clavin could then be moved to a cross-endorsed Supreme Court nomination in August.  Or not. But he would definitely become a judge somewhere.

Of course, rumors of Clavin moving to the bench have circulated ever since he was elected supervisor in 2019 after spending 18 years as the town's feisty Tax Receiver. Normally, Receiver of Taxes is a boring almost clerical job, but Clavin often used it to attack the county's forever broken property tax assessment system. He also ran for county comptroller one year but lost to the late Democrat Howard Weitzman.

Gossipers agree that Clavin must be moved because he will not vote for the $6 billion casino resort proposed by Los Vegas Sands on the Nassau Coliseum property in Uniondale. The Town of Hempstead must approve the zoning and building permits for a casino. The Nassau County legislature already has approved a lease for the project on the county-owned Coliseum property.

Though both Nassau Republican Chairman Joe Cairo and Republican County Executive Bruce Blakeman support the casino, Clavin would be shunned by his Garden City neighbors if he voted in favor of the project. Garden City and its residents, along with Hofstra University, have fiercely opposed the Casino.

Clavin has been mum on the project as well as on the rumors of his move.

There is a Republican leaders meeting tomorrow morning, when the deal will likely be explained and approved.

Who would run in Clavin's place?

There are a number of candidates in the speculation mix, including Alfano, of North Valley Stream who is close to Republican Chairman Cairo. Other names thrown out are Anthony D'Esposito, the former District 4 Congressman who  lost to Democrat Laura Gillen last year and who has been nominated by Republican President Donald Trump to become Inspector General of the U.S. Labor Department; even former supervisor Kate Murray, who is now town clerk, is said to be a strong contender for the job.

Democrats appear to have known and anticipated the change in course.

The Democratic candidate for town supervisor, Justin Brown, reportedly declined the nomination on Friday. Will Democrats run someone better known? Or is there another half to the Clavin deal that has successfully remained a secret so far.