Title company in Skelos probe has supported Democrats

The once-obscure Syosset title-insurance company that's come under scrutiny as part of the federal corruption probe targeting Republican State Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos and his son has traditionally supported Democrats.

Most of the roughly $100,000 in political contributions that the company, American Land Services, has made over the past 15 years has gone to Democrats.

Its chief operating officer, Thomas K. Dwyer, hails from a prominent Nassau County Democratic family. And last year the company hired Babylon Democratic Party chief Robert Stricoff after a criminal investigation prompted him to walk away from his job as executive director of the Suffolk County Industrial Development Agency.

A spokesman for Preet Bharara, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, whose office is running the probe of Skelos and his son, declined to comment. Executives at American Land Services, which has not been accused of wrongdoing, did not return calls.

American Land Services paid a $20,000 signing bonus -- but never actually hired -- Skelos' son, Adam Skelos, according to a report in The New York Times. It's unclear when the alleged payment was made or what, if anything, the company received in exchange.

American Land Services has donated to Republicans in the past, but there are no records indicating it has supported Skelos in recent years. Attempts to reach Dean Skelos were unsuccessful.

Adam Skelos, when approached at his Rockville Centre home Thursday, directed questions to his attorney, who didn't return several messages.

American Land Services, founded in 1999, sells insurance to guard against problems with property titles. It has about 50 employees.