Suffolk County Conservatives delay decisions on new convention

Warring Suffolk Conservative factions, who met with State Supreme Court Justice David Reilly to iron out details for a new party convention and election of party leaders, on Friday put off any decisions until after the Appellate Division in Brooklyn hears the case March 29.

Reilly set April 4 for a new conference date, but urged lawyers for both sides to hold discussions over a possible date and time for a new convention as well as potential monitors to oversee the election. The lawyers are expected to meet next Friday.

Reilly ruled late last month that it was “impossible to determine” if Frank Tinari was properly re-elected to a second two-year term as party leader because the convention meeting last September was “imperfectly organized.“ Reilly said the session “devolved into a shouting match.”

Tinari’s lawyers in legal papers say Tinari was elected properly. They say the leader of the opposing faction, Kenneth Auerbach, failed to put forward a slate of candidates despite repeated requests, and that Auerbach followers caused the commotion.