Nassau pols still 'playing hardball'

Nassau Democratic chairman Jay Jacobs said he filed a complaint last week alleging illegal contributions by the Hicksville Republican Committee because GOP chairman Joseph Mondello accused him of campaign finance irregularities last year. "Republicans for some time have been playing hardball with us," said Jacobs, who has accused Mondello of breaking a nonaggression pact between the parties. "If that's how you're going to play, we're going to play too."

Mondello responded, "If offering to exchange the votes of public officials on bonding in return for political advantage on redistricting isn't the definition of hardball, then Jay Jacobs needs a new dictionary." He was referring to county Democratic legislators refusing to approve borrowing unless they get a fair redistricting plan. -- Celeste Hadrick