Why many CD3 voters might say 'basta!'

Daily Point

There's a reason for Suozzi’s ethnic umbrage

Tom Suozzi has been called a lot of names in his tough-fought political contests. But there’s a strategic reason why the Democrat seeking to return to Congress in a nationally watched special election may have seized upon one of those names: the demographics of the 3rd Congressional District.

In trying to pin Suozzi to the issue of migrants being bused to New York from the southern border, Brian Devine, communications director for Republican candidate Mazi Melesa Pilip, told the New York Post earlier this week: “No amount of political spin can change the fact that Tom Suozzi is the godfather of the border crisis.”

Suozzi, whose father, Joseph, immigrated from Italy as a child, used a scheduled Zoom news conference the next day to have leaders of Italian American organizations call Devine’s remark an insulting stereotype. “Why would you use that particular expression?” asked Suozzi. A former Nassau County executive, Suozzi has often talked about the prejudice encountered by his father, who went to Harvard Law School and later became a judge.

A newly detailed picture of ethnicities of the House district, which sits mostly in Nassau County with a slice of Queens, shows that around 17% of residents described themselves as Italian or of Italian heritage in the 2020 census, the largest self-identified group. Next were Irish at 12.5%, Chinese at 9%, mostly a reflection of the Queens share of the district, and Germans at 8.3%. Overall, more than 20% of those in the census marked the box “White, not specified,” meaning no ethnicity was noted.

CD3 also tracks closely with the demographics of Nassau County where Italians are the largest self-identified ethnicity, followed by Irish and Germans. The strong ethnic roots of the older, white voters that make up CD3 is one of the reasons why Mike Sapraicone, a retired New York City detective and successful security firm owner, finished a close second to Nassau GOP leader Joe Cairo’s choice for the GOP nomination. “He would have blunted Suozzi’s share of the Italian vote,” one GOP insider told The Point.

Newsday Opinion data journalist Karthika Namboothiri compiled the chart from 182 census tracts that were fully, or more than 60% contained in the district. For a complete breakdown of the district’s 44 ethnic and racial groups, click here.

The ethnic dust-up with Suozzi is similar to one in 1992 which another Italian American politician from Nassau County used to his advantage.

In the 1992 U.S. Senate race, incumbent Alfonse D’Amato, trailing in the polls to Democrat Robert Abrams, the state’s popular attorney general, turned an outburst by his opponent into a cudgel. Abrams had referred to D’Amato’s campaign tactics as “fascist” and the next day, which was Columbus Day, D’Amato used a forum at the parade to accuse Abrams of insulting his Italian ancestry. D’Amato won, 51% to 49%, the next month.

— Rita Ciolli rita.ciolli@newsday.com

Pencil Point

In hindsight

For more cartoons, visit www.newsday.com/nationalcartoons

Final Point

Not so fast … but Hofstra subpoenas move forward

Don’t expect Hofstra University President Susan Poser to come before the Nassau County Legislature on Monday.

State Supreme Court Justice Sarika Kapoor rejected Hofstra’s request for a temporary restraining order to stop the subpoenas issued by the Nassau County Legislature this week — but delayed the subpoenas’ return date to Feb. 26. Hofstra opposes Las Vegas Sands’ effort to build a casino at the Nassau Hub and has been successful in the early stages of its lawsuit to challenge Sands’ new lease on the property. The county is appealing Kapoor’s decision to void that lease.

While that gives Hofstra more time to challenge the validity of the subpoenas, it also allows the county to go forward with its effort to determine whether there is any coordination between Hofstra and Seminole Hard Rock Entertainment Inc., which, along with New York Mets owner Steve Cohen, is proposing a casino on the Citi Field parking lot.

The county’s concerns stem from an email from Hard Rock lobbyist Mike McKeon about Sands’ claims to control the Nassau Hub site, in which McKeon said he was “checking with Hofstra to see if they will oppose the move.”

It is unclear whether the county will issue any further subpoenas, to McKeon or others.

The delayed return date for the subpoenas presents interesting timing as the state’s licensing process continues. The state Gaming Commission is in the midst of answering 450 questions submitted in the second of questioning. Once those answers are posted, those seeking a license have 30 days before their applications are due.

Lee Park, a spokesman for the Gaming Commission, said it is still reviewing those questions and there’s no timetable for when the answers will be released. But Gaming Commission member Jerry Skurnik, speaking at a public meeting in Manhattan earlier this week regarding a proposed casino near the United Nations building, gave a more specific time frame.

“It’s likely we will post those answers either at the end of January or early in February,” he said, adding that applications then would be due in March.

But multiple observers, citing the complexity of previous questions on timing, zoning and more, told The Point it was unlikely those answers would be available in January, saying next month is probably the earliest the responses would be published.

Meanwhile, the Town of Hempstead is moving forward with its environmental review process, as hundreds of people attended two scoping hearings at the Long Island Marriott Thursday. After hours of testimony, one thing was clear: Both Sands and its opposition know how to make their supporters heard.

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

Subscribe to The Point here and browse past editions of The Point here.