Nassau Dems sue to block GOP redistricting

Nassau Democrats on Tuesday filed suit to block a Republican-sponsored redistricting plan for the county legislature that likely will be approved Monday -- more than a year earlier than expected.

The eight Democratic legislators contend the 11-member Republican majority is violating the county charter, the state Constitution and the U.S Constitution by pressing to adopt new lines just three weeks before county candidates must begin collecting signatures on nominating petitions for the November election.

The move -- championed by county attorney John Ciampoli, a former election lawyer for State Senate Republicans -- "is a blatantly partisan attempt . . . to hastily enact a local law with an ill-conceived and rushed redistricting plan without any of the statutorily required public input on this issue," the suit charges.

Attorney Steven Schlesinger, a Democratic election lawyer who has faced off against Ciampoli in court many times, Tuesday asked State Supreme Court Justice Steven Jaeger to issue a temporary restraining order to prohibit the county legislature from adopting the new map.

The lawsuit also requests the court to direct Republicans to follow sections of the county charter that require appointment of a bipartisan redistricting commission and public hearings before new lines are drawn.

Ciampoli countered that the same charter mandates that districts be realigned within six months of the new census release, which occurred April 1. "There is nothing to say it can't be done in less than six months," he said.

Moreover, the act of voting on the proposal "is an internal process of the legislature which should not be invaded by the judiciary," Ciampoli said.

Arguments are to continue before Jaeger Thursday morning.

At the direction of Presiding Officer Peter Schmitt (R-Massapequa), Ciampoli drew the new lines, which he says empower minority communities while respecting town and village boundaries.

But Democrats call the move a Republican power grab, while minority representatives complain their voting power would be diluted.

Also Tuesday, civil Rights attorney Fred Brewington said he will file a separate voting rights lawsuit if the new map is enacted.

Meanwhile, Minority Leader Diane Yatauro (D-Glen Cove) asked Nassau District Attorney Kathleen Rice and New York Attorney General Jay Schneiderman to conduct an investigation into how Ciampoli drew the new lines, questioning his purchase of redistricting software and his hiring of consultants.

Ciampoli said Democrats know they're wrong and "what you see is them trying to throw this process into the gutter, to try to set new records for new lows in decency and civility and to attack the source."

Rice and Schneiderman's offices both acknowledged receiving Yatauro's request.

With Sid Cassese