Suffolk County Democratic Chairman Richard Schaffer hosted a no-frills fundraiser...

Suffolk County Democratic Chairman Richard Schaffer hosted a no-frills fundraiser at Villa Lombardi's in Holbrook. Credit: James Escher

It was a no frills Suffolk Democratic spring dinner last week — no headliner, no ad-filled journal and everyone got out of the Villa Lombardi’s catering hall in Holbrook in about an hour.

Even County Executive Steve Bellone, MIA for last fall’s dinner, showed up and was introduced by Suffolk Democratic Chairman Richard Schaffer, but was not called up to speak.

And instead of a journal with pages of gold, silver and bronzed leafed pages of ads from contractor unions and those in patronage jobs, there were business cards at every seat on tables informing the party activists they can see the ads on the party website.

Schaffer aides said the event attracted 550 people and raised $450,000 for the county party.

Nassau Republicans awarded over $1 million in taxpayer-funded legal contracts to the one-man law firm of Sheharyar Ali, a longtime GOP ally. Ali's father is an adviser to Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman. NewsdayTV's Ken Buffa and Newsday Nassau County politics reporter Bahar Ostadan have the story. Credit: Newsday Studios; File Footage

'Democrats say this is a misuse of taxpayer funds' Nassau Republicans awarded over $1 million in taxpayer-funded legal contracts to the one-man law firm of Sheharyar Ali, a longtime GOP ally. Ali's father is an adviser to Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman. NewsdayTV's Ken Buffa and Newsday Nassau County politics reporter Bahar Ostadan have the story.

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