Internet Explorer 11 is not supported

For optimal browsing, we recommend Chrome, Firefox or Safari browsers.

County Executive's Arrest Could Disturb Region's GOP Machine for Years to Come

The political ramifications of Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano's arrest Thursday on federal corruption charges could start with next month's competitive State Senate elections and stretch into next year's races for nearly all county and Oyster Bay town offices.

By Paul Larocco

The political ramifications of Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano's arrest Thursday on federal corruption charges could start with next month's competitive State Senate elections and stretch into next year's races for nearly all county and Oyster Bay town offices.

Whether or not Mangano, a Republican, decides to step aside as he fights the charges, the fraud and bribery indictments against him, his wife, Linda, and Oyster Bay Town Supervisor John Venditto has roiled the well-oiled Nassau GOP "machine" that has controlled the town for two decades and the county for all but eight years of the last 50.

"This is a real hit, there's no doubt about it," said Rep. Peter King (R-Seaford), who, before his election to Congress in 1992, served as county comptroller and a Hempstead Town councilman. "All officials, and certainly people in the Republican Party, have to re-examine everything they've been doing and whether or not they've gotten too careless or reckless."

Mangano, who was elected in 2009, and Venditto, elected in 1997, resisted immediate calls for their resignation, following allegations from the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District that they received bribes and kickbacks from a local restaurateur, including a "no-show" job for Linda Mangano, in exchange for county contracts and town loan guarantees.

Both Mangano and Venditto would face re-election next year. But most immediately, the case against the men could further imperil Republicans' attempts next month to maintain control of the State Senate, because some of the most competitive races statewide are in Nassau.

Though Democrats have a 32-31 advantage in the chamber, the GOP has kept the majority via an agreement with six breakaway Democrats.

The case also could impact county legislative, comptroller and town board races next year, as Democrats said Thursday they will seek to tar all Republican candidates as part of a "corrupt" system.

"I think this damages the Nassau Republican brand significantly," said Nassau Democratic chairman Jay Jacobs. "This is the result of a longstanding culture among these Republicans, who have always looked at government as their candy store."

Nassau GOP chairman Joseph Mondello declined comment Thursday on the indictments and their potential political impacts.

But some of Nassau's State Senate Republican incumbents and challengers -- including State Sen. Jack Martins, who is running for Congress in the 3rd District -- responded quickly. Even before federal prosecutors announced the specific case against Mangano and Venditto, the candidates asked for the officials to resign.

"When something like this happens it's incumbent upon leadership to stand up and to move quickly to transition to new leadership," said Martins (R-Old Westbury).

Asked whether he thought the cases against Mangano and Venditto would affect his race, Martins said: "They are specific charges dealing with specific incidents."

Democrats, already confident that the presidential race and associated turnout will bode well for their State Senate candidates, said they believe local voters will use the Mangano and Venditto case as one extra mark against all Republicans.

But Michael Dawdiziak, a Bohemia political consult who works largely with Republicans, disagrees. He said voters are "numb" as a result of recent high-profile corruption cases, including against the former Democratic state Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and the former Republican State Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos.

"I think they will look at things on a case-to-case basis," he said. "There's been a lot of political corruption to go around, and it touches Republicans and Democrats."

Jacobs said he believes Democrats' chances in 2017 to reclaim control of the county executive's office and legislature -- for the first time since 2009 -- would be aided without having a well-funded incumbent such as Mangano at the top of the ticket.

"This changes the calculus," Jacobs said of potential Democratic candidates for various races, including county executive, comptroller, legislator and town supervisor and town board.

King said he believes the Nassau GOP, no matter who it runs next year, needs to work on persuading voters that it is taking the allegations seriously.

"It's incumbent on Republicans to show what measures are going to be taken to make sure this can't happen again," King said.

(c)2016 Newsday

Caroline Cournoyer is GOVERNING's senior web editor.
Special Projects