Leader Abrahams says he and his Democratic colleagues are holding a public hearing to protect taxpayers from the fraud and abuse believed to be plaguing the Nassau County contract process, and to restore the public trust that has been lost after AbTech improprieties were found in federal investigation
(Mineola, NY) – Since news broke that Senator Dean Skelos and his son Adam Skelos were accused of using undue influence tocorrupt the County contracting process and extort, bribe money from a County vendor, Nassau Democratic Legislators have taken steps to try to remedy the clear lack of disclosure that would protect taxpayers from more waste, fraud and abuse of the system while Republican Legislators have remained silent.
Minority Leader Kevan Abrahams and his Democratic colleagues tried multiple ways to address the contract procurement process issues and bring the public into the conversation via a public hearing. “We began writing letters to Presiding Officer Norma Gonsalves back in April asking for her to hold a public hearing and sadly it has all fallen on deaf ears. Were now nearly six months past the AbTech story breaking and yet still have yet to allow the people and experts in their field speak and share testimony on how the County and the Mangano administration could do better. Don’t taxpayers deserve that?” said Abrahams.
The Public Hearing being held only by the Nassau County Democratic Legislative Minority Caucus due to the refusal for the Republican Majority, will be held at 1pm October 16th at the Nassau County Theodore Roosevelt Executive & Legislative Building, 1550 Franklin Avenue, Mineola, NY, Minority Hearing Room, 136. The Public Hearing is entitled; ‘Ending Abuses in The Nassau County Contract Process through Legislative Reform’.
“This is about bringing integrity and public confidence back to our great County which cannot be done without holding a public hearing to bring attention to a system that breeds corruption”, exclaimed Democratic Minority Leader Kevan Abrahams.
The agenda which is below includes Acting District Attorney Madeline Singas New York State Senator Michael Gianaris, former NIFA Board Member & public finance expert George Marlin and former Suffolk County Deputy Paul Sabatino.
“It is due to Acting District Attorney Madeline Singas’ leadership and commitment to reforming this broken system in a transparent way that anything of substance has gotten done this year” concluded Abrahams.
Public Hearing Notice Attached – Public Hearing Agenda Below
NASSAU COUNTY OFFICE OF THE LEGISLATIVE MINORITY
PUBLIC HEARING
BEING HELD BY THE NASSAU COUNTY DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATURE CAUCUS
Minority Leader Kevan Abrahams – Hearing Chair
Legislator Delia DeRiggi-Whitton–Deputy Hearing Chair
Legislator Laura Curran
Legislator Siela Bynoe
Legislator Ellen Birnbaum
Legislator Judith Jacobs
FRIDAY OCTOBER 16TH, 2015
1PM
AGENDA
Ending Abuses in the Nassau County Contract Process through Legislative Reform
KEVAN ABRAHAMS, MINORITY CAUCUS LEADER
NASSAU COUNTY LEGISLATURE
MADELINE SINGAS
NASSAU COUNTY ACTING DISTRICT ATTORNEY
HON. MICHAEL GIANARIS
NEW YORK STATE SENATOR
HON. GEORGE MARLIN
FORMER NIFA BOARD MEMBER
HON. PAUL SABATINO
FORMER CHIEF DEPUTY COUNTY EXECUTIVE – SUFFOLK COUNTY
HON. ADAM HABER
NIFA BOARD MEMBER
LISA TYSON
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR LIPC
PUBLIC COMMENT