Election 2015

Madeline Singas is the clear choice for district attorney

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The marquee contest on next Tuesday’s ballot in Nassau County is for district attorney.

Democrat Madeline Singas, who has filled the D.A.’s seat since she replaced Kathleen Rice in January, has more than two decades of experience as a prosecutor, and has been doing an admirable job in the position so far.

Her opponent, Republican Kate Murray, has no prosecutorial experience and has not practiced law for nearly 20 years. Murray has been the very popular supervisor of the Town of Hempstead for the last 13 years, and she says the experience of managing the town qualifies her for D.A., since it’s mainly a managerial role. We disagree.

We don’t see how a manager can effectively run an office — whatever it may be — without a thorough understanding of the job the people reporting to her do. This is especially true in a position that requires knowledge of complex laws, procedural rules and the multiple courts in which the D.A. represents the people of the county.

Singas has the prosecutorial experience to be the D.A. She spent 15 years as an assistant district attorney in the Queens D.A.’s office. She came to the Nassau office in 2006, when Kathleen Rice became district attorney and asked her to create a Special Victims Bureau, which she ran for five years. Starting in 2011, Singas served as Rice’s top deputy, a position she held until she became acting D.A. in January.

She has run the office more than competently, demonstrating a thorough command of the administrative, legal and managerial aspects of this difficult position. Her experience with criminal law, prosecutions, courts and the everyday administration of justice in Nassau County have served her well.

Kate Murray has been an excellent leader of the Town of Hempstead. She has managed town finances well, held the line on taxes and run a scandal-free administration, which is, alas, noteworthy these days. We hope she stays in public life and runs for an office more suited to her considerable administrative and legislative abilities.

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