Delia DeRiggi-Whitton elected Democratic leader of the Nassau Legislature

Nassau County Legis. Delia DeRiggi-Whitton, the new Democratic Minority Leader, has won nine elections despite nearly swearing off a career path in local politics decades ago. 

The daughter of Donald DeRiggi, a retired Nassau County judge and past mayor of Glen Cove, recalls her shock when a member of another Democratic-leaning Glen Cove political family encouraged her to run for city council in 2007.

“I said, 'Are you sure you want me? I'm a Republican,'” DeRiggi-Whitton said about the telephone call she had with then-Glen Cove Mayor Ralph Suozzi. 

DeRiggi-Whitton, 55, served two terms on the Glen Cove City Council before switching parties and becoming a county legislator in 2012. She was appointed leader by the members of her caucus on Dec. 7, becoming the third woman to lead the Democratic caucus in the legislature's 28-year history.

DeRiggi-Whitton also was the only county legislator to vote against leasing the Nassau Coliseum site to the Las Vegas Sands corporation, which is seeking to build a $4 billion casino-resort on the county-owned property in Uniondale.

DeRiggi-Whitton will take the reins from longtime Legis. Kevan Abrahams, who led the county legislature's Democratic caucus for 12 years but did not seek reelection last month.

With the 19-member legislature under 12-7 Republican control and Republican County Executive Bruce Blakeman in office, DeRiggi-Whitton said she intends to continue to ask hard questions of the administration and make sure her party's agenda isn't ignored. 

DeRiggi-Whitton has never been part of the majority. Her first four years as a legislator occurred during the administration of former County Executive Edward Mangano, a Republican from Bethpage, who is serving a 12-year federal prison sentence for a 2019 conviction for bribery and conspiracy.

“There's going to be a lot of pushback and a lot of questioning and we are ready,” DeRiggi-Whitton told Newsday.

DeRiggi-Whitton said her priorities include ensuring the county retains and adequately staffs its Office of the Inspector General to vet county contracts; addressing the poor financial condition of Nassau University Medical Center; and awarding more grants to nonprofits and small businesses using funds from a landmark opioid settlement and the federal American Rescue Plan Act.

Nassau has earmarked $186.6 million and spent $69.5 million of $385 million the county received in ARPA funds, according to U.S. Treasury Department data through June 30. The money must be designated by the end of 2024.

Hiring of the inspector general represented a major victory for the Democratic minority, which blocked the Mangano administration's ability to bond until the GOP agreed to create the position. County bonding for major projects requires a 13-vote supermajority. 

DeRiggi-Whitton said she stands by her lone vote against leasing the Coliseum site to Sands.

“I respect the rest of my caucus and I know they respect me for why I voted the way that I did,” she said.

DeRiggi-Whitton said she still has concerns about whether the casino development would be in Nassau's best interest. Sands' proposal is undergoing a state-mandated environmental review in the Town of Hempstead despite a lawsuit brought by Hofstra University to halt the process, void the lease and annul the legislature's vote in May. 

State and Nassau County Democratic Committee Chairman Jay Jacobs said DeRiggi-Whitton's “extensive experience has prepared her well” for the minority leader's job. 

“Delia will continue to fight against and expose the unethical and wasteful governance by the Republican Caucus, and she will be a fighter for all Nassau residents, not just the politically connected few,” Jacobs said in a statement. 

Blakeman didn't directly address Jacobs' comments, but said in a statement he looks forward to working with DeRiggi-Whitton “on issues of mutual concern to make our county a better and safer place to live.” 

DeRiggi-Whitton said she initially had planned a career in special education. Her experience watching family members in time-consuming jobs in politics and the law made a political career unappealing, she said.

DeRiggi-Whitton said she intends to continue trusting her gut in making decisions and said her message to veteran members of her caucus would be to follow their instincts as well. 

“If something doesn't feel right or if you have more questions or if you're not comfortable, let's talk about it,” she said. “Because maybe you are seeing something we are not and that's what our job is as legislators. We are a separate branch of government.”

By Candice Ferrette

candice.ferrette@newsday.comcandiceferrette

Candice Ferrette covers Nassau County government and politics on Long Island. She has been a reporter at Newsday since 2011.