County attorney charges misconduct by lawmakers

Nassau County Attorney John Ciampoli is alleging criminal misconduct by the nine members of the County Legislature’s Democratic caucus, and has asked District Attorney Kathleen Rice to look into the matter. Democrats, meanwhile, say Ciampoli is playing a dangerous game of partisan politics to cover up county borrowing to fill multi-million-dollar budget gaps.

The accusations stem from a letter that Legislator Kevan Abrahams, the Democratic minority leader, sent to County Executive Ed Mangano last December. In the letter — cosigned by all nine Democratic legislators — Abrahams said that the Democrats would withhold their votes to approve any county bonding until a new redistricting process could be agreed on.

Ciampoli, who represents Mangano’s office, sent a letter on April 2 to the New York State Inspector General’s Office, asking for an investigation to determine whether Abrahams’s actions violated the state’s penal code or the county charter.

“What we have here is an illegal quid pro quo that’s been asked for,” Ciampoli told the Herald. “People think that bribery statutes are ordinarily triggered by someone asking for money, but that’s not always the case.”

A spokesperson for Rice said, “We are reviewing the allegations in Mr. Ciampoli’s letter to the inspector general.”

On April 24, Catherine Leahy Scott, New York’s acting inspector general, sent a letter to Rice. “As County Attorney Ciampoli’s letter alleges violations of the Penal Law, the Inspector General’s Office is referring the matter to your office for whatever action you deem appropriate,” wrote Scott.

Ciampoli also said he believes the Democrats’ actions qualify as a Class E felony, which would include prison time if a conviction were to result.

“It’s a public officer who is essentially trading their vote for something of political value and political advantage to themselves,” Ciampoli said.