Democrats to allow deadline to get Denenberg off Senate ballot to pass

Nassau County Legis. David Denenberg will remain on the State Senate ballot in November, as county Democrats said they would allow a deadline to switch him to a judicial race to pass.

Nassau Democratic chairman Jay Jacobs had until midnight to find Denenberg (D-Merrick) a spot in a judicial race, which would have allowed the party to replace him as a candidate against Nassau Legis. Michael Venditto (R-Massapequa) in the 8th Senate District.

Jacobs said he reached out to a half dozen potential candidates, and each agreed five weeks was not enough time to mount a substantive Senate campaign. Among those asked was Legislative Minority Leader Kevan Abrahams (D-Freeport) and Freeport Village trustee Carmen Piñeyro, he said. Former Suffolk County Executive Patrick Halpin also said he considered the race.

Denenberg withdrew last week after his former employer, the Garden City law firm of Davidoff Hutcher & Citron, filed a lawsuit accusing him of defrauding a client of more than $2 million by billing for "fictitious" services. The law firm also asked the U.S. attorney's office to investigate. Denenberg did not return a call for comment last night.