Mike Pence cautious in his criticism of Trump at the LIA

Daily Point

Former vice president seems like a man without a party

The strained alignments of this election season were detectable Tuesday at the annual Long Island Association luncheon headlined by Mike Pence.

The former vice president will be remembered as a defining figure on Jan. 6, 2021, for rejecting the demands of then-President Donald Trump to stop the certification of the 2020 election results. But overall, reaction to Pence’s remarks at the Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury was tentative and uncertain.

Pence, who might be the first person to reflect on the role of Jesus Christ in his life at an LIA luncheon, was witty and genial. He chatted animatedly with Pete King, his longtime colleague in the House of Representatives, before he took the stage. But there were no other local luminaries of his party at the event. Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman and Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine were invited but did not attend.

Pence worked the room before and after he spoke and gladly posed for photos but the line wasn’t that long. When two other former vice presidents — Al Gore and Dick Cheney — spoke at the LIA, the audiences knew where their loyalties lay.

A former Democrat, Pence told the 700 in attendance that Ronald Reagan converted him to the Republican Party (even though Pence voted for Jimmy Carter in the 1980 election) but he made clear that the GOP he was talking about Tuesday was not the same party as that of his political hero.

Questioned by LIA president Matt Cohen about Jan. 6, Pence denounced the attack on law enforcement and then modestly said he did his part for a "peaceful transition of power." He added that in the end, "It was a triumph of our Constitution."

The applause was hesitant at first, spread slowly, and then ended in a brief standing ovation.

"There was a mix in the room," Cohen said afterward. "Some traditional, more moderate Republicans, some Democrats who may not agree with his politics and policies but commend him for Jan. 6. And some people more in the Trump wing of the party that may not have a favorable opinion of him."

Asked by Cohen whom he supported in this race, Pence quickly rejected Vice President Kamala Harris — which got him a decent round of applause. But he got little reaction when he said, "I have not endorsed my party’s ticket. I have real concerns about the direction of the party." Pence went on to say that he regretted that Trump has not come around to say that their ticket lost the election four years ago. He said Republicans today are surrendering to the "siren song of populism, unmoored from principle." It was an observation that got little support from the audience, even Democrats who may agree with him.

"I was a little disappointed that he did not come out and condemn Trump," said John Durso, president of the Long Island Federation of Labor. "After all that he did to Mike Pence, I was hoping he would have been stronger in his opinions of what transpired."

— Rita Ciolli rita.ciolli@newsday.com

Pencil Point

Midfield scramble

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Final Point

NUMC chair Bruderman throws support to CEO Ryan

As New York State officials ramp up efforts to install a temporary operator at Nassau University Medical Center, hospital officials are pushing back.

Friday night, NUMC interim chief executive Megan Ryan informed the hospital board of a planned board meeting — called for Monday. While many issues on the agenda, including the search for a permanent chief executive and the firing of chief operating officer John Donnelly, were pushed into a nonpublic executive session, the public portion of the meeting included several comments from employees applauding Ryan. In response to those comments, hospital board chairman Matthew Bruderman said he wanted to add his take.

"First of all, there’s not going to be a state takeover," Bruderman said, according to a recording of his remarks. "There might be people around who think there’s going to be a state takeover. Not as long as there’s blood in my veins and air in my lungs. We’re not going to let that happen."

Bruderman praised Ryan’s work, saying that she had "accomplished more than I challenge anybody to find in the history of the hospital."

"Meg Ryan has earned the position in my opinion," Bruderman said. "We’re going to put it to a vote very soon."

Bruderman added that while he was just one vote on the board, "most of the board members have suggested to me that Meg should be CEO."

Bruderman noted that the hospital now has nearly $50 million in the bank. That’s compared with just $19 million as of February.

What Bruderman didn’t mention is that the hospital continues to pay just $2 million a month to the New York Health Insurance Program, despite owing $9 million each month. NUMC now owes $380 million in total to NYSHIP.

Gordon Tepper, a spokesman for Gov. Kathy Hochul, said the state’s priorities are "the fiscal stability of the hospital and focusing on patient care."

"Anything else is just noise," Tepper told The Point. "Given the financial obligations of NUMC, it is impossible to objectively say that they are on the road to fiscal recovery."

Monday’s full board meeting came after four board members requested a separate "special" meeting to discuss specific agenda items, including the CEO search, the COO firing, and the NYSHIP debt. That meeting had been scheduled for Tuesday evening, but by Tuesday afternoon, it was canceled due to the lack of a quorum.

Meanwhile, the effort to support Ryan and reject a "state takeover" spilled over Tuesday to include dozens of employees and other supporters, who gathered for a rally in front of the hospital, waving signs saying "Restore State Funding," "No State Takeover," "Long Island Needs NUMC" and "NUMC Needs Megan Ryan." Among the rally’s attendees were several elected officials, including State Sen. Steven Rhoads, Assemb. John Mikulin and Nassau County Legis. Rose Marie Walker and Tom McKevitt — along with Ryan herself.

"The underlying message is about the need for state funding," Rhoads told The Point after the rally. "I don’t think any strings should be attached."

All of that activity comes as state officials have hoped to work with Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman on developing a plan for NUMC’s future. Bruderman was chosen by Blakeman, and a majority of NUMC board seats are currently controlled by either Blakeman or the county legislature.

"The state is continuing its plan to work collaboratively with Nassau County on an appropriate solution," Tepper said.

Blakeman spokesman Chris Boyle did not return requests for comment.

— Randi F. Marshall randi.marshall@newsday.com

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