By Anthony Rifilato
Williams, the former First District county legislator, was convicted of federal conspiracy charges in December 2002 for inflating the incomes of prospective homeowners to help them get mortgages. A week after he was fined more than $51,000 and sentenced to six months of home detention, Williams was hired as the head of human resources at Nassau Regional OTB, where he now makes $87,500.
OTB president and former Nassau Democratic party vice-chairman Lawrence Aaronson's decision to hire Williams provoked an outcry from both Republicans and Democrats, including Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi, who opposed the hiring of a convicted felon.
Shortly after Williams was hired, Legis. Joe Scannell (D-Baldwin) and David Denenberg (D-Merrick) were the only two Democratic legislators to publicly oppose their former colleague's new job. Scannell wrote a letter to the Herald saying he disagreed with the decision, and Denenberg wrote a letter to Aaronson calling for Williams's removal.
"This is a public job," said Denenberg of his opposition to Williams's appointment. "It creates the appearance that you're abusing the public trust for the good of the party instead of the good of the government."
Because of their public comments, Republican legislators called on Scannell and Denenberg last week to add their signatures to the letter, which was signed by the nine-member minority and is meant to put pressure on Aaronson to fire Williams.
"They were on record," said a spokesperson for Minority Leader Peter Schmitt. "We've challenged those two legislators to sign on and show Aaronson that it's not right -- he shouldn't be giving a convicted felon a position."
But Scannell and Denenberg have charged that the letter has no weight and is nothing more than a political ploy to create rifts between them and supporters of Williams. "I'm disappointed in the minority's tactics," said Scannell, who added that he would not sign. "By signing, it lends legitimacy to their political ploy."
Both Scannell and Denenberg have said they did not receive phone calls asking for their signatures, and only heard about the issue after Republicans held a press conference demanding their signatures. "I think they're 40 days later than I was," Denenberg said, referring to his own letter to Aaronson on Dec. 16. "My position was made known in that letter, and I see no reason to reiterate my position."
Republicans have argued that hiring Williams was a blatant act of partisanship at the OTB, which consists of a three-member board of directors, who are Democrats appointed by the legislative majority. The board then hires the OTB president.
"The road to remove [Williams] would be to appoint new members to the board, because [Aaronson] either is not letting Williams go or disrespects the legislature," said a spokesperson for Schmitt, adding that an attempt would be made to gain the 10 votes needed in the Legislature to appoint new OTB board members and remove Aaronson if he doesn't fire Williams, though they would have to convince at least one of their Democratic counter-parts to vote on such a measure.
Though Schmitt's office said it sent the letter to Aaronson, a spokesperson for Aaronson said he has not received a copy and only heard about it after the press conference.
Aaronson could not be reached for comment at press time.
For his part, Williams said he has no plans to resign in the face of public pressure and emphasized that U.S. District Court Judge Joanna Seybert has allowed him to work. He also said that he was hired for his credentials and not for any political payback, as Republicans have accused.
"Their only interest is to use me as political fodder," Williams said of the letter. "They should solve problems that confront the county and not vilify me."
Both Scannell and Denenberg say the letter has less to do with Williams's job than it does with other political agendas. "It's a piece of [campaign] literature against me and Scannell, and an attempt to create a schism in the party between black and white," said Denenberg.
Scannell charges that the Republicans are attempting to hamper the redistricting process, as the Legislature gears up to vote on new legislative maps on Feb. 24. "It's clearly a ploy to undermine the current redistricting process," he said. "Their only purpose is to create a rift within the Democratic majority."
Scannell, who has been pushing for a unified district in Baldwin that would be represented by one legislator instead of three, said the attempt to obtain his signature is meant to send a negative signal to Williams's former constituents in North Baldwin, an area Scannell would represent if the district is unified. Williams's supporters have taken issue with Scannell and others who have opposed their former legislator's job at the OTB.
"Williams is still perceived favorably by the district," said Legis. Kevan Abrahams (D-Hempstead), who replaced Williams in a special election last September. "The community hasn't cast Patrick away."
Abrahams said that he supports Williams's current position with the OTB, explaining that although Williams has made mistakes, he has the right to make a living.
Although Abrahams disagreed with Scannell's and Denenberg's letters, he said they have a good working relationship and agree on many issues. "I don't think [their letters] will affect redistricting at all," Abrahams said.
