Elmont Online

Just when you thought it was safe to swim, Nassau County Presiding Officer Peter Schmitt (R-Massapequa), crawls out from under his rock - again.  This time, Schmitt, still bitter from the public outcry over his redistricting shenanigans and the stunning defeat in the 3rd LD race won by Democrat Carrie Solages, who unseated Republican John Ciotti, who held the seat for sixteen years, struck back by withholding payment of a settlement to the children and grandmother of slain county resident  Joanna Bird.

Residents may recall that Ms. Bird was slain by her estranged boyfriend after getting several Orders of Protection issued by Courts in Nassau County.  County officials admit to grossly mishandling her case and "failing" her.  In an interview on November 18, 2011, this is what Peter Schmitt said: “I did not feel comfortable voting on a settlement that would put a couple million dollars into his [attorney for the Bird family] law firm, or his pocket, while we were being sued”.  Schmitt is withholding payment to two small children and a grandmother because the Attorney who settled on behalf of the Bird family, Fred Brewington, is also attorney for members of the community who brought a class action law suit against the Republican led Majority County Legislature, for attempting to gerrymander residents of the county including Elmont.

How far will Republicans go to gerrymander?  In this case, they are willing to hold two children and their grandmother hostage and figuratively strangle the lawyer that represents them, because he challenged their untimely and illegal acts which violated Civil Rights, and won!  This move is more like those taken by the southerner Governor George Wallace, when he used his authority to engage his personal hatred and bias.  We must not allow Mr. Schmitt to take Nassau County any lower than he already has.  Now he is threatening orphans to achieve his political goals.  Shame on him!

How important is partisan gerrymandering?  Don’t be fooled by protestations or soft cajoling to the contrary – it is centrally important to the Republican effort in Nassau County, New York State and the country.  In fact, nationally, with Cain, Romney, Bachman, Gingrich …, it may be the only hope Republicans have of holding on to power locally or of wrestling it away from the Whitehouse.  Some say all politics is local – I say true but remember, Washington politicians did not come from Mars – they came from next door.