Spin Cycle

Democratic support didn’t come easily Wednesday for Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi’s appointment of Robert Bruno, a registered Conservative, to be a judge of the district court in Hempstead.

Party lawmakers delayed the start of the county legislature’s Judiciary Committee for two hours as they caucused behind closed doors. When the committee finally convened and a majority voted to approve Bruno, Chairman Jeff Toback (D-Oceanside) and Legis. David Mejias (D-Farmingdale) abstained.

Both Toback and Mejias said then they objected to the rushed nature of the appointment: Suozzi had sent his nomination to the legislature just a day earlier and originally planned to bypass the Judiciary Committee altogether even though its sole mission is to review judicial appointments.

But Toback and Mejias had also argued privately that the party should be nominating its first Hispanic to a Nassau bench, not an pro-life conservative.

“There is not enough diversity on the district court bench or on the bench anywhere in Nassau County,” Toback said Thursday. “This would have been a great....

Celeste Hadrick

Nassau County’s Joseph Hand says he has decided against trying to challenge incumbent Sen. Craig Johnson (D-Port Washington) in a primary for a seat that county Republicans would love to win back.

“I considered it, I threw a trial balloon, and I was getting set,” Hand said, but he had a talk with Queens party activist James Wrynn, who persuaded him otherwise “for the good fo the party and the sake of the Senate.” He said he may look toward a future run for the county Legislature.
Hand mustered 42 percent against former Sen. Michael Balboni in 2006.

Still no official word on whether Republican Barbara Donno will be nominated to face Johnson in the general election.

That was not just his political mentor sitting next to judicial appointee Robert Bruno on Wednesday. It was also his wife’s boss.

Mixing politics, government, justice — and perhaps nepotism — Nassau County Conservative Party boss Roger Bogsted spent much of Wednesday squiring Bruno through the approval process at the county legislature.

Bruno’s wife, Joann, is a $38,475-a-year “community service assistant” in the county’s Office of Consumer Affairs. Bogsted is the $119,820-a-year commissioner of the agency.

The Nassau County Legislature later approved the nomination of Bruno, 51, of Wantagh to the $122,700-a-year district court judgeship in what was seen as a political payoff to Bruno for running for county executive on the Conservative Party line in 2005.

The theory was that Bruno drained votes away from Republican contender Gregory Peterson, the main rival to Democratic incumbent Thomas Suozzi, who is Bogsted’s boss.

Bill Murphy

The race for mayor of Hempstead has lost one strong potential Democratic candidate, with Kevan Abrahams, D-Hempstead, at left, emphatically rejecting a possible run against incumbent Democratic Mayor Wayne Hall.

“Sure I was asked,” Abrahams, the legislature’s deputy presiding officer, said last week without naming who asked him. “But I don’t want the job. First, my wife is expecting, and, second, I don’t need that kind of headache. In addition, I support the current mayor.”

Village trustee Perry Pettus, a Democrat and local businessman who ran against Hall as an independent in 2005, has already declared he is seriously considering another try for the job. “I’m not even sure Wayne [Hall] will run again,” he said.

But Hall said he is definitely seeking re-election and has never indicated otherwise. “I intend to run — and win,” he said.

There are at least two potential candidates on the Republican side — it’s called the Unity Party in the village.

There is former 16-year mayor James Garner, Long Island’s first black mayor, who has all but announced....

Sid Cassese

One Nassau County legislator is well traveled, you could say, on a bill that would impose a new fee on motorists. She has voted against it, voted for it, abstained on it, and, most recently, voted for it. And she intends to vote for it again.

Legis. Denise Ford (R-Long Beach) provided a key affirmative vote in the legislature on April 28, allowing committee approval of a bill that would impose a $15 fee on motorists who are ticketed for certain violations that they later correct.

This was the second time around for the bill, which would raise more than $1 million annually by imposing a processing fee on motorists cited for such infractions as driving without an insurance card, but later proving that the car was insured.

The same bill foundered in the full legislature on April 7 when one of the 10 members of the Democratic majority — Legis. David Mejias of Farmingdale — voted against it. The vote was nine Democrats in favor; eight Republicans and Mejias opposed, and Republican Ford abstaining. The bill died by a vote of 9-1-1 for lack of a majority.

Mejias had voted for the bill in committee in March, so his switch was a bit of a surprise but...

Bill Murphy

For some legislative leaders, it’s life on the edge.

The U.S. Senate is just barely Democratic. The New York state Senate is Republican, by a very slim margin.

In this same mode, you have the Nassau Legislature, where in early 2006, what was formally a 10-9 Democratic majority broke down in a rebellion against Presiding Officer Judy Jacobs.

Now PO Diane Yatauro has problems of her own — by the name of Democrat David Mejias, as recorded in this space in recent weeks by Bill Murphy and Celeste Hadrick. The Farmingdale lawmaker has been showing an independent streak that’s working against the herding instincts of leadership.

Who knows — there might be some rank-breaking on the GOP side too. Still, it all makes Suffolk PO Bill Lindsay look like he’s got it easy at an 11-7 majority (with the 11 including two WFP members who caucus with the Dems).

UPDATE: Meantime we have this announcement from Mejias -- click "continued" bar for its full text.

The rift between Nassau Legis. David Mejias Farmingdale and his Democratic colleagues continues.

Mejias said he did not attend the Democratic caucus Monday morning before the full session of the Nassau County Legislature. Asked if the rain had delayed him, he shook his head in the negative.

Legislation that would have raised more than $1 million in fees from motorists died in the legislature three weeks ago when Mejias split with Democrats and voted against it, creating a vote of nine in favor, nine against and one abstention.

In the three weeks since, there has been speculation that Mejias would hold key legislation hostage by denying the Democrats a majority. That same bill has been introduced again. Asked how he would vote this time, Mejias twisted his hand, jabbed his right thumb downward and walked away.

Bill Murphy

Although neither Nassau Democratic Chairman Jay Jacobs nor Nassau Legis. David Mejias (D-Farmingdale) are talking to us about it, political sources say the two have talked to each other and Mejias has agreed to rejoin the Democratic legislative caucus.

The two had been at war after Jacobs said Mejias broke a promise to him to vote for a county charter revision that would allow legislators to immediately increase their salaries, which haven’t changed since 1996. In retaliation, Jacobs withdrew the county party’s support of Mejias planned challenge to State Sen. Kemp Hannon (R-Garden City).

Mejias denied making any promises. Angry over Jacobs' actions, he said he would no longer meet with the Democratic caucus and Democratic legislators could no longer depend on his tenth vote on the 19 member legislature. He then voted with the Republicans to kill a proposed traffic fee supported by Democratic County Executive Thomas Suozzi.

That vote led the state Senate Democratic Committee to drop its backing of Mejias’ bid against Hannon, we reported last week, because it showed he wasn’t a team player.
The state decision, as well as local Democrats dismay at Mejias’ tactics, helped bring him back into the fold, sources say.

They say he will rejoin the caucus by the Aug. 28 legislative meeting, but he will not return to his spot on the legislative Rules committee......

Celeste Hadrick

The State Senate Democratic Committee has dropped its support of Nassau Leg. David Mejias (D-Farmingdale) as a candidate this fall against Sen. Kemp Hannon (R-Garden City), knocking a second leg out of Mejias’ planned challenge against the veteran Republican politician, state and county sources say.

Nassau Democratic Chairman Jay Jacobs withdrew the county party’s backing two weeks ago after Mejias refused to vote to change the county charter to allow legislators to raise their own salaries, which have remained at $39,500 since 1996. Jacobs said Mejias promised he would vote for the change; Mejias denies it.

The dispute has since escalated, with Mejias refusing to meet with the legislative Democratic caucus and then voting with Nassau Republicans to kill a Democratic-supported traffic fee. Presiding Officer Diane Yatauro (D-Glen Cove) responded by dropping Mejias from a key legislative committee.

Sources say state party officials take that as an indication that Mejias is not a team player who could be trusted on a swing vote.

Mejias declined comment.

Celeste Hadrick

Nassau Presiding Officer Diane Yatauro (D-Glen Cove) has made some staffing changes since becoming the Legislature’s leader in January.

She brought back David Gugerty, an ally of County Executive Thomas Suozzi, as her policy adviser for $150,000 a year, the highest salary of any legislative staffer. Gugerty had been majority counsel under Yatauro’s predecessor, Legis. Judy Jacobs, for $125,215, before he was named Nassau’s Public Administrator in Jan. 2007 for $134,000 annually. Jacobs’ policy adviser Fran Evans earned $111,300 before she left late last year.

“In order to attract talented people, one often needs to offer a salary increase,” Yatauro spokeswoman Zefy Christopoulos said.

Yatauro also hired Gerry Twombly, a family friend who helped in her re-election campaign, to be her $95,000 communications director. Twombly had been an $80,000 staff analyst at the Board of Elections.

Yatauro also is eliminating the $30,000 part-time position of child care commissioner, held by Jacobs’ appointee Ginger Lieberman. Yatauro “is still evaluating how the legislature should best relate to a childcare commission. What she has decided so far is that the responsibility doesn’t merit the attention of a paid staff member,” Christopoulos said.

-- Celeste Hadrick

People with Web access should be able to view the bimonthly meetings of the Nassau County Legislature and its committees online by May 1, the presiding officer, Legis. Diane Yatauro (D-Glen Cove), said earlier this month.

“It’ll be about as exciting as watching paint dry,” Yatauro said just two days after the legislature held its first meeting in the renovated Theodore Roosevelt Executive and Legislative Building in Mineola.

The new hearing room has the legislators on an elevated platform far removed from the audience. But the room is stocked with the latest gizmos — including flat-panel monitors at the seats of the 19 legislators, and four large screens hanging from the ceilings and facing the audience.

Each legislator will also be able to vote electronically, and that should begin in about a month, Yatauro said.

The webcasts can be seen on the Nassau County Web site at no added cost to the county, she said.

Bill Murphy

Sources say Nassau Democratic Leg. Joe Scannell (left) has told party chairman Jay Jacobs that he wants to resign from the legislature and run for Supreme Court Justice this November.

But if Scannell leaves, his Baldwin district is ripe for Republicans to pick up. A Republican win in the district, which is evenly split between enrolled Democrats and Republicans, would turn the current 9-vote Republican minority into a 10-vote majority on the 19-member legislature.

And Republicans already have an able candidate in Christian Browne, a lawyer who finished very close to Scannell last November despite having only one ballot line.
Jacobs acknowledges Scannell has expressed interest in moving to Supreme Court, but the chairman said he hasn't made any decisions. Only one Supreme Court judgeship is open to a Nassau candidate this fall, three next year. His first priority, Jacobs said, is “protect the majority.”

Scannell declined comment.

Celeste Hadrick

Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi and the Nassau County Legislature pretty much work in tandem these days. When questions arose about two Democratic loyalists Suozzi is naming to judgeships, the administration referred questions to the legislature, which will consider the appointment as its meeting Monday.

Legislative aides provided background information on the two nominees -- Tricia M. Ferrell of Uniondale and Fred J. Hirsch of East Meadow -- to $122,7000-a-year district court judgeships.

Bill Murphy

After more than a month of searching, Nassau’s new presiding officer Diane Yatauro (D-Glen Cove) has hired a new press secretary, who happens to come from Glen Cove.

Zefy Christopoulos, press officer for the city of Glen Cove, starts her county job Tuesday at a salary of $65,000. Christopoulos said she was originally hired by former Glen Cove Mayor Mary Ann Holzkamp and continued in her position under current mayor Ralph Suozzi. Prior to taking the city job, she was an editor and reporter for the Glen Cove Record Pilot.

Christopoulos said Yatauro reached out to her about coming to the county. “I thought about it and thought why not. I have ink in my veins.”

Celeste Hadrick

Hempstead Republicans are taking on Nassau Legis. Jeffrey Toback (D-Oceanside) over his vote to approve a sewer consolidation plan that calls for sewage now processed in Lawrence and Cedarhurst to be pumped to the county’s Bay Park treatment plant in his district.

At a stormy first meeting of the legislature this year, the 10-vote Democratic majority approved the plan over objections of residents from Bay Park and East Rockaway, both GOP strongholds.

Hempstead Supervisor Kate Murray and Town Board member Anthony Santino wrote Toback, in photo at left, asking him to change course. They also issued a news release announcing a petition drive against the plan as well as a protest rally on March 1 at the entrance to the Bay Park plant.

“Residents of Bay Park and East Rockaway already are burdened with a large volume of sewage being pumped into their neighborhoods along with accompanying odors and health concerns,” said Murray. “Enough is enough.”

Toback responded, “It is unfortunate that Hempstead officials routinely use taxpayer funds for political purposes.” He said he had invited Murray to a briefing on the issue but had received no response.

“Our mutual constituents will be well served when their elected officials work together to build bridges rather than burn them down,” he said.

Celeste Hadrick

Although Nassau’s new Presiding Officer Diane Yatauro promised bipartisanship on the county legislature before she was inducted Jan. 2, the Glen Cove Democrat has yet to sit down with Minority Leader Peter Schmitt.

Yatauro’s office invited the Massapequa Republican to lunch on Jan. 17 but Schmitt was away. Her office then suggested Jan. 29, but Schmitt had to cancel because of a death in his district. Schmitt suggested last Thursday, but Yatauro couldn’t make it. Her office then rescheduled lunch for Feb. 20.

“It would be easier for Schmitt to meet with Barack Obama than with Diane Yatauro,” quipped Schmitt aide Ed Ward.

“We’ve tried three times to reach out,” Yatauro objected. “I didn’t cancel any of them. He knows the number too.”

She added, “It’s nothing but two people who have busy schedules. That’s all it is.”

Celeste Hadrick

The new presiding officer of the Nassau County Legislature has tried to rein in legislators who talk out of turn, but her effort during a testy hearing on sewer consolidation on Monday seemed to favor her fellow Democrats.

Legis. Diane Yatauro (D-Glen Cove) cut off Republicans John Ciotti and Francis X. Becker because they had not asked for permission to speak. Yet it appeared from where citizens sit in the audience section that three Democratic legislators had earlier jumped in without her permission - David Mejias, David Denenberg, Wayne Wink.

Yatauro did later stop Denenberg from interrupting, but only after permitting him to engage in a long question-and-answer session where he made the case for the Suozzi Administration's consolidation plan by asking leading questions of Raymond Ribeiro, the county public works commissioner.

Granted, Ciotti does tend to ask a question in the middle of an answer to his prior question. But he seemed genuinely taken aback when Yatauro cut off his microphone.
He continued to ask questions in a loud voice, and he and Yatauro debated which would come first — lowering his voice or turning his microphone on. She turned it on, but he didn’t lower his voice all that much.

Bill Murphy

Presiding Officer Diane Yatauro (D-Glen Cove) kicked off her new position Wednesday by maintaining the Nassau legislature’s tradition of unexplained tardiness.

The legislature’s first meeting of the year, where Yatauro was formally installed in the top job, started nearly an hour late with no explanation offered for the delay. Under Yatauro’s predecessor, Judy Jacobs (D-Woodbury), meetings of the legislature and its committees seldom started on time, often running hours behind schedule for no apparent reason.

Ed Ward, spokesman for the legislature’s Republicans, said, “The transfer of power was consistent — late as usual.”

— Celeste Hadrick

A draft list of Nassau legislative committee assignments shows that incoming Presiding Officer Diane Yatauro (D-Glen Cove) is expanding the number of committees from 12 to 16, adding separate committees for labor, education, aging and procedures.

At least one legislator is not impressed with the additions. “These committees are about nothing and can do nothing. Jerry Seinfeld should be chairing them,” said Legis. David Mejias (D-Farmingdale), photo at right.

Legis. David Denenberg (D-Merrick) is listed as being on eight committees, but apparently the transition has led to some confusion because his name is spelled incorrectly as Dennenberg. "At least it’s only on the committee assignments,” Denenberg said. “This will be the first of five inaugurations where the announcement actually spells my name correctly."

Celeste Hadrick

Chumi Diamond, a 28-year-old lawyer from Woodmere, is expected to replace Bill Geier as clerk to the Nassau legislature when Legis. Diane Yatauro (photo, right) is named presiding officer on Wednesday.

Diamond had a leading role in the last two re-election campaigns of Legis. Jeff Toback (D-Oceanside). Her father Howard is the rabbi of Congregation Beth David in Lynbrook.
Toback said of Chumi Diamond: “A lot of talent and energy. Very bright. Very good organizational skills. I’m sure she’s going to be an asset to the legislature.”

Diamond started in Nassau in 2005 as a deputy county attorney earning $47,500. She was promoted deputy director of labor relations last April at a salary of $65,000 and was promoted to her current $82,500 job as vice chairman of the Board of Assessors in July, county records show. The current salary budgeted for clerk of the legislature is $109,400, though it was not certain if Diamond will receive that amount.

Celeste Hadrick

After 12 turbulent years, Monday marks the final day in office for Lisanne Altmann, Nassau’s most outspoken legislator, who begins a full-time job at LIPA, where she had been working part-time.

The Great Neck Democrat irked both allies and opponents by studying proposed legislation, questioning any contradictions and challenging assumptions. She is perhaps best known for asking the former Republican administration why it needed more money for employees’ health insurance program — sparking an investigation that unveiled an insurance scandal that landed some participants in prison and cost taxpayers millions.

She says she is proud that she helped prompt a federal investigation of the Nassau jail following the beating death of an inmate. She also cites her part in pressuring for a management change at the Nassau University Medical Center, though her tactics infuriated County Executive Thomas Suozzi.

“Looking back on it I was privileged to be able to ask any question I wanted to,” Altmann said. “My district supported...

Celeste Hadrick

There are further signs that a new Long Island front is opening in the statewide political war between Gov. Eliot Spitzer and Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno (R-Brunswick) that began last February with a special Senate election race in Nassau.

A fundraiser is scheduled next Tuesday for Nassau Legis. David Mejias, at the Manhattan home of Senate Democratic Campaign Committee finance chairman Bill Samuels, featuring Spitzer as a "special guest."

None too subtly, the invitations to the evening event state the limits for contributions by individuals and to state Senate campaigns. Tickets go for $500 and up. A $5,000 donation rates the contributor as a “VIP” to the Friends of David Mejias committee.

Mejias this month survived one of the strongest of re-election challenges from Republican Joseph Belesi by a mere 228 votes as of the count Nov. 13, allowing the Democrats to hang on to their 10-9 legislative majority.

Asked Monday night about the rather clear new evidence of a brewing Hannon challenge...

Dan Janison

Holiday parties and cards may be out, but the Long Island Power Authority will place Nassau Legis. Lisanne Altmann in a $110,000-a-year fulltime post when she leaves office in January.

The new LIPA budget unveiled last week includes a fulltime salary for Altmann as director of residential programs for LIPA’s efficiency effort. Until now, she has been in a part-time post in the same program, for which she receives $69,000 a year, officials said. She also makes $39,500 annually as a county legislator.

Altmann decided earlier this year not to seek re-election, months after landing on the losing side of a bitter squabble over the presiding officer’s post. Critics say she would have have had difficulty winning re-election. Edward Dumas, LIPA spokesman, said the new LIPA boss Kevin Law plans to increase conservation efforts. “We are ramping up for an aggressive year in those areas,” he said.

Rick Brand

Nassau Democrats’ quarrel over the reappointment of Eric Naughton, the legislature’s budget review director, has spawned numerous rumors, including one that Legis. Lisanne Altmann (D-Great Neck), who did not run for re-election this year, will take a job with Naughton after she leaves the legislature in January.

Altmann, who has lobbied hardest for Naughton’s reappointment, laughed when asked if she expected a job in return for her efforts.

“Nothing could be further from the truth,” said Altmann, who has worked at the Long Island Power Authority for the past decade. “I hope we remain close colleagues, but I’m certainly not going to be working for him,” she said of Naughton.

Celeste Hadrick

Democrats charged up over Nassau Legis. David Mejias’ victory over challenger Joseph Belesi point out that the Democratic incumbent beat the Republican retired police sergeant in Belesi’s own neighborhood.
Democratic Elections Commissioner William Biamonte reports that after counting the machine and paper ballots, Mejias led Belesi 185 to 137 in Belesi’s Farmingdale election district.

Celeste Hadrick

Conventional wisdom prevailed in the recount of Republican Joseph Belesi’s challenge to Nassau County Legis. David Mejias (D-Farmingdale) in the battle for the 14th District.

The tally after the polls closed was 6,182 for Mejias; 5,960 for Belesi, a 222-vote margin.

Republicans said last week to hold on, that there are 300 paper ballots to be counted.

But conventional wisdom says the paper ballot breaks down the same as the machine count. And the final tally, released Monday, had Mejias winning by 228 votes.

A recanvass of the machines Friday morning at the Nassau Elections Board gave incumbent Democratic legislator David Mejias a 217-vote lead over Republican challenger Joseph Belesi, according to Democratic Elections Commissioner William Biamonte.

“Anyone who is saying this is not over has lost touch with reality,” Biamonte said, explaining that Belesi would have to win over 80 percent of the paper ballots to overtake Mejias.

Biamonte said there are 349 absentee ballots and about 33 affadavit ballots, which will be opened and counted on Monday.

Celeste Hadrick

Acting with lightning speed in the wake of the legislative elections, Democrats in Nassau are announcing within the hour a new presiding officer to replace Judith A. Jacobs.

Democratic leaders wanted to make the choice immediately to avoid allowing time for factious party members to get into an internal battle.

This includes, of course, the widely-made presumption that David Mejias' razor-thin edge over Republican challenger Joe Belesi in last night's vote count survives recanvassing.

Celeste Hadrick and Bill Murphy

In what emerged by far as the cliff-hanger of the night, Nassau Democratic Legis. David L. Mejias clung to his legislative seat by a tantalizing 261 votes, with 56 of 57 election districts counted, against Republican challenger Joseph Belesi — who was not conceding defeat given the presence of absentee ballots. With other incumbents holding on by varying margins, a surprise reversal in Belesi's favor after impoundment, mail-in count, etc., would swing the legislative majority from to 10-9 Republican from 10-9 Democrat. But absentee counts usually break the same way as the machine counts.

Welcome to something a little like Florida 2000, Nassau-style.

With two election districts left to count in Nassau’s 7th LD, Republican Howard J. Kopel seemed to have done impressively on the percentages, for a challenger, against Democratic Legis. Jeffrey W. Toback, who led 53 to 47 percent. Results here.

Democratic Nassau Legis. David Mejias, in a letter dated Oct. 21 from his law office, complains to Democratic District Attorney Kathleen Rice and to the county ethics board that Republicans had a county employee photograph him and other Democrats specifically to place the images in attack mailings.

The complaint is directed at Minority Leader Peter Schmitt's deployment of county photographer Michael Tamborino on Sept. 24 when the Legislature was in session. "On Oct. 10, 2007," he states, "the pictures taken during that legislative session were used in partisan political literature/propaganda," Mejias says.

One ad displays a photo of a nut and bolt, with the proclamation "this is a machine product." It is juxtaposed with a photo of the gesturing Mejias and the punchline: "So is this." Another piece uses the same purportedly county-provided photo and accuses Mejias of "playing politics and costing property taxpayers a fortune." Both were included as exhibits in Mejias' complaints.

Mejias, a recent resident of Farmingdale, faces Republican challenger Joseph Belesi at the polls tomorrow in a widely-watched race. There was no immediate response from Schmitt's office.

Dan Janison

Democratic Nassau Legis. David Mejias changed his voter's registration address on Oct. 26 from North Massapequa to Farmingdale, sparking speculation he will run against State Sen. Kemp Hannon next year.

While his new address keeps Mejias in the same county legislative district, it puts him in the same senatorial district as the veteran Republican lawmaker from Garden City. The state Constitution requires anybody who runs for state senate to be a resident of the district for at least 12 months immediately preceding the election.

Mejias, who faces a challenge for re-election from Republican Joseph Belesi tomorrow, insists his reasons for moving were simple - he wanted a swimming pool and garage. His new house has both.

Celeste Hadrick

One day after issuing its endorsements, the Long Island Environmental Voter Forum has withdrawn its backing of four Democratic Nassau legislators -- David Mejias, David Denenberg, Jeffrey Toback and Kevan Abrahams.

Richard Amper, the political action committee's chairman, said that the move was spurred by the lawmakers' attacks on environmental groups who oppose the Broadwater liquified natural gas project proposed for Long Island Sound. They did so because those groups have not yet also taken a stand on a newer proposal for another project called Atlantic Sea Island 13.5 miles off Long Beach.

"Our position is that community groups have a right to redress their grievances with government, not the other way around, especially for something we haven't done," said Amper.

Rick Brand

One year ago, Democratic Legis. David Mejias (D - N. Massapequa) was playing offense, striving to unseat veteran Rep. Peter King. In a race that drew attention well beyond the 3rd Congressional District, in an election season that turned the House Democratic, Mejias sought to saddle Republican King with the most controversial policies of President George W. Bush.
King won.

This year finds Mejias playing defense against a serious challenge from Joseph Belesi in for his 14th Legislative District seat, which he has held since 2004 when he became the first Latino elected in Nassau government. Republican Belesi has prodded Mejias on the controversy of the moment: Democratic Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s move to let illegal immigrants apply for drivers’ licenses — a state, not county, act