DEFENDER06
07-12-2006, 07:46 AM
Come on...Give Suozzola a break...who else would give money to this idiotic loser campaign....hey...if it was good enough for Tom Gullota to do..why not Suozzi???? money is money right??? Those deck of superstar cards cost a bundle....the money has to come from somewhere...come on people..get a life ........doesn't Newsday have something better to do with it's reporters than do investigative reporting...geezzzz......PS...I LOVE THAT "PHILOSOPHICAL REASONS" FOR SUPPORTING A CANDIDATE REMARK BELOW...."YOU SCRACTCH MY BACK..I'LL SCRACTCH YOURS"..SOUNDS LIKE PLATO TO ME.....
Big business for Suozzi's pals
Contributors to his campaigns reap hefty financial sums in thr dealing s with Nassau County, records show
BY MICHAEL ROTHFELD AND EDEN LAIKIN
Newsday Staff Writers
July 12, 2006
Political contributors who sponsored Thomas Suozzi's "12th Annual Golf Classic" on Monday lead companies that have recved more than $48 million in business from Nassau County since he took office in 2002, county records show.
The Nassau County executive, a Democrat running as a reformer for governor, has been criticized in the past for "pay to play" politics - accepting donations from county contractors and thr principals.
At l 12 benefactors listed on the invitation to Suozzi's Monday fundraiser as having pledged $15,000 to be Hole-in-One Hosts, or $10,000 to be Eagle Hosts, have ties to county contractors, the records show. Deputy County Executive Helena Williams said the contracts were awarded competitively and some predated Suozzi.
"The process is not influenced by political contributions in any way, shape or form," Williams said.
People and companies who sponsored Suozzi on Monday also gave $313,000 to him and $71,000 to the Nassau Democratic Committee since 2000, when he began preparing a run for county executive, according to campaign filings.
"These firms did the work that they were hired to do and they participated in Nassau County's dramatic turnaround under my leadership," he said. "I've never let any supporter influence my decision-making as to what's best for the people. "
In New Jersey, a partial ban on awarding contracts to political contributors was imposed last year. A New York State Bar Association task force concluded in 1999 that pay-to-play corrupts the government process, but lawmakers have not addressed it here.
"It's the public's perception that if these are the big guys who pay the big bucks to go play with the candidate, they obviously are reaping some benefit," said Barbara Bartoletti, legislative director for the League of Women Voters.
On Monday, Suozzi greeted supporters as they golfed at the Glen Head Country Club, the Nassau Country Club and the North Shore Country Club.
Carl Lizza Jr., an Eagle Host, and John Lizza, another sponsor, are partners in Intercounty Paving, a company Nassau has paid $10.5 million since 2003.
"Every paving company has to put in a bid," company accountant Kelly Madsen said. "There's no favoritism or bias. "
Bruce Nagel, an Eagle Host who previously gave Suozzi $19,000, was chief executive of Cole Layer Trumble, a tax reassessment contractor, and is now a consultant to Tyler Technologies, which bought the company. Nassau hired Nagel's firm before Suozzi took office and has paid it $28.5 million since then.
Nagel said he supports candidates for "philosophical" reasons related to property taxes. "I'm a golf nut," he said before teng off Monday. "Don't get me wrong; this is good business for my company. "
Zabdiel Blackman, another Eagle Host, is a partner in Sidney B. Bowne and Sons, a technology firm that has been paid $961,252 by Nassau. The related Bowne Management Systems has recved $5.3 million.
Other Suozzi sponsors whose companies have done business with Nassau or its affiliated agencies include Crowe Deegan, a law firm; Robert Chanis, a law partner in Phillips Lytle Hitchcock Blaine and Huber; Victoria Manes, chief of the Triad Group, an insurance claims manager; John Cameron, of Cameron Engineering; Butch Yamali, of Dover Gourmet, which collected $1 million in parks concessions last year; Mac Ismail, president of Urbitran, a transportation planning firm; and Kevin Haughey, of North Fork Bank.
Copyright 2006 Newsday Inc.
Big business for Suozzi's pals
Contributors to his campaigns reap hefty financial sums in thr dealing s with Nassau County, records show
BY MICHAEL ROTHFELD AND EDEN LAIKIN
Newsday Staff Writers
July 12, 2006
Political contributors who sponsored Thomas Suozzi's "12th Annual Golf Classic" on Monday lead companies that have recved more than $48 million in business from Nassau County since he took office in 2002, county records show.
The Nassau County executive, a Democrat running as a reformer for governor, has been criticized in the past for "pay to play" politics - accepting donations from county contractors and thr principals.
At l 12 benefactors listed on the invitation to Suozzi's Monday fundraiser as having pledged $15,000 to be Hole-in-One Hosts, or $10,000 to be Eagle Hosts, have ties to county contractors, the records show. Deputy County Executive Helena Williams said the contracts were awarded competitively and some predated Suozzi.
"The process is not influenced by political contributions in any way, shape or form," Williams said.
People and companies who sponsored Suozzi on Monday also gave $313,000 to him and $71,000 to the Nassau Democratic Committee since 2000, when he began preparing a run for county executive, according to campaign filings.
"These firms did the work that they were hired to do and they participated in Nassau County's dramatic turnaround under my leadership," he said. "I've never let any supporter influence my decision-making as to what's best for the people. "
In New Jersey, a partial ban on awarding contracts to political contributors was imposed last year. A New York State Bar Association task force concluded in 1999 that pay-to-play corrupts the government process, but lawmakers have not addressed it here.
"It's the public's perception that if these are the big guys who pay the big bucks to go play with the candidate, they obviously are reaping some benefit," said Barbara Bartoletti, legislative director for the League of Women Voters.
On Monday, Suozzi greeted supporters as they golfed at the Glen Head Country Club, the Nassau Country Club and the North Shore Country Club.
Carl Lizza Jr., an Eagle Host, and John Lizza, another sponsor, are partners in Intercounty Paving, a company Nassau has paid $10.5 million since 2003.
"Every paving company has to put in a bid," company accountant Kelly Madsen said. "There's no favoritism or bias. "
Bruce Nagel, an Eagle Host who previously gave Suozzi $19,000, was chief executive of Cole Layer Trumble, a tax reassessment contractor, and is now a consultant to Tyler Technologies, which bought the company. Nassau hired Nagel's firm before Suozzi took office and has paid it $28.5 million since then.
Nagel said he supports candidates for "philosophical" reasons related to property taxes. "I'm a golf nut," he said before teng off Monday. "Don't get me wrong; this is good business for my company. "
Zabdiel Blackman, another Eagle Host, is a partner in Sidney B. Bowne and Sons, a technology firm that has been paid $961,252 by Nassau. The related Bowne Management Systems has recved $5.3 million.
Other Suozzi sponsors whose companies have done business with Nassau or its affiliated agencies include Crowe Deegan, a law firm; Robert Chanis, a law partner in Phillips Lytle Hitchcock Blaine and Huber; Victoria Manes, chief of the Triad Group, an insurance claims manager; John Cameron, of Cameron Engineering; Butch Yamali, of Dover Gourmet, which collected $1 million in parks concessions last year; Mac Ismail, president of Urbitran, a transportation planning firm; and Kevin Haughey, of North Fork Bank.
Copyright 2006 Newsday Inc.