Joseph Mondello talks about Nassau corruption cases
The Chairman of the Nassau County Republican Committee, Joseph Mondello, speaks a crowd on May 6, 2015. Credit: Johnny Milano
Nassau Republican chairman Joseph Mondello, making his first public comments about the recent arrests of two of his party’s top elected leaders, did not suggest they resign, as other GOP officials have.
“When allegations are made, people set themselves up as judge, jury and executioner,” Mondello said in an interview last week.
Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano and Oyster Bay Town Supervisor John Venditto pleaded not guilty on Oct. 20 to federal charges they received bribes and kickbacks from a local restaurateur in exchange for government contracts and loan guarantees.
Mangano has vowed to stay in office as he fights the charges, while Venditto has made no public statements.
Asked about potential successors should either man step down, Mondello said it was too early to speculate or talk about whether they’d be nominated for re-election next year.
Mondello’s tone was more measured than last December, when he said he was “angry as hell” about Nassau GOP corruption scandals including the conviction of former State Sen. Dean Skelos and the initial reports about Mangano and Venditto and several others being under criminal investigation. Skelos is appealing.
“They’re not going to ruin this organization,” Mondello said then of the county GOP. “We have 300 elected officials in this county and for the six or eight bad ones, all the others are taking it on the chin.”
Paul LaRocco
Paul LaRocco is a reporter on the investigations desk. Since starting at Newsday in late 2010, he has also covered Nassau and Suffolk county politics and government and the Town of Oyster Bay.
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