Nassau redistricting case delayed

The federal case against the new redistricting of the Nassau County Legislature has been delayed until July, following the recent withdrawal of U.S. District Court Judge Joanna Seybert.

Seybert, who indicated Monday that she had plans in place and did not want to change them and would not rush the case to meet them, passed the case on to Magistrate-Judge Arlene Lindsay.

Both Hempstead's Frederick Brewington, the lead lawyer for the petitioners, and Garden City's Peter Bee, the lead lawyer for the county, said that a telephone conference with Lindsay is scheduled for July 7.

"At that time we should work out exactly when our next court appearance will be, but we already know it won't be before July 18," said Brewington, who filed the case June 6 and has had the initial presentation.

Bee, waiting his turn, said he expects to begin presenting his side in late July.

Representing four minority residents, Brewington said the reapportionment plan "has the effect and/or purpose of denying plaintiffs and other African-American and Hispanic voters an opportunity to participate meaningfully in the political process and to nominate and elect candidates of their choice."

But the 19-member legislature's presiding officer, Peter Schmitt (R-Massapequa), sponsor of the redistricting proposal, has said the plan would create at least one more district in which minorities predominate.

Democrats, though, say the new borders, passed recently along party lines by the county legislature and signed by Republican County Executive Edward Mangano, are designed to increase the GOP's 11-8 majority. The GOP plan would force four Democratic lawmakers into two districts, while taking some residents from heavily minority districts and placing them into predominantly white districts.