Blakeman's poor choices

Herberth Flores was convicted in 2005 for taking part in a bribery scheme involving the sale of patient data from Nassau University Medical Center to personal injury lawyers. Flores and his brother were go-betweens for hospital employees selling information about emergency room patients to the attorneys.

Flores was sentenced to 60 days in jail and five years probation on his plea to a Class D felony, attempted bribery of a public servant. But in 2007, when Flores was seeking a real estate license, a judge granted him "relief from disabilities" which removed any barriers to professional licensing and government employment he would have had as a felon.

Flores returned to the county in 2010, serving as deputy director of minority affairs, earning about $100,000 annually. When County Executive Edward Mangano was asked about hiring someone with his background, he told Newsday, "So-called perfect people screwed up Nassau County. I bet less-than-perfect people will repair Nassau County. Welcome to our second chance administration."

Mangano’s successor, Laura Curran, dismissed Flores on her first day in office, but his four years in the wilderness ended when newly inaugurated Republican Bruce Blakeman chose Flores to head the county Office of Hispanic Affairs.

Blakeman also brought back John Capece, the former chief of detectives in the Nassau County Police Department, who resigned from the department in 2013 after Mangano threatened to demote him. Capece is nominated to head the Department of Consumer Affairs.

In 2013 Capece helped lead the effort to apprehend Randy White, who had testified in a civil election fraud case against former Freeport mayor Andrew Hardwick, then a third-party candidate for Nassau County executive. White's work was seen as part of an effort to help Mangano's reelection by siphoning minority votes away from a Democrat. White testified he had been paid on a per-signature basis for collecting nominating signatures on Hardwick's behalf, which is illegal. White received $295,000 from Nassau County to resolve his claim that he was falsely detained after Nassau police stopped a public bus and took White off in handcuffs. NCPD commissioner Thomas Dale resigned two months later for his role in the incident.

Capece’s job requires the county legislature's approval. It should be denied. Flores does not need any second look, but shouldn't have gotten the first. Both hires indicate an administration eager to properly feed and care for political pals and allies, despite their prior betrayals of the public trust.

It is laughable to suggest Flores, convicted of using county employees to take advantage of Hispanic patients at the county public-mission hospital, is the best choice for the Hispanic affairs job. Capece, even absent abusing his police powers, was a career cop, not a consumer affairs professional.

Blakeman is not making a convincing case that he can run a clean and competent administration.