Town supervisor back at work after charges

Oyster Bay Town Supervisor John Venditto has returned to work following his indictment on federal corruption charges, spokeswoman said Monday.

“The supervisor has been working,” spokeswoman Marta Kane said in an email. “He has been fulfilling general obligations of his position, such as conversing with department heads, addressing resident services, signing documents as needed, speaking with town board members.”

Federal prosecutors last month charged Venditto, 67, with conspiracy to commit bribery, fraud and obstruction of justice. He has pleaded not guilty. Last week Kane said that Venditto had been “available” to fulfill his duties.

Kane did not respond to questions about where Venditto was working. Venditto has publicly acknowledged in the past that he frequently works in a storefront office near his North Massapequa home rather than Town Hall.

Last week at a “meet the candidates” event in Plainview, Sen. Carl Marcellino (R-Oyster Bay) repeated his call for Venditto, as well as indicted County Executive Edward Mangano, to step down.

"They must step aside and get out of the way so that government can move,” Marcellino said.
At the same event, his Democratic opponent, Suffolk Water Authority chairman James Gaughran, said that “everybody” had called for their resignations. “It’s a disgrace ... and we’ve got to figure out how we’re going to move forward as a community,” Gaughran said.
Kane said Monday that Venditto was “continuing to contemplate recent events and how they may impact his ability to continue on as town supervisor."