Schmitt stops mailings by Nassau lawmakers

Nassau's Presiding Officer Peter Schmitt this week shut down all mailings by county legislators until after Election Day in response to what he called a "blatantly political" flier that Minority Leader Diane Yatauro wanted to send into two hotly contested legislative districts.

Schmitt, a Massapequa Republican, said he learned of Yatauro's plans Tuesday and immediately ordered a halt to all legislative printing and mailing until Nov. 9 -- the day after next months' legislative elections.

Since the legislature started in 1996, Schmitt said, legislators had adhered to an informal agreement to cease districtwide mailings on Oct. 1 in an election year. Any county mailings are supposed to be apolitical, by law.

But according to Schmitt, Yatauro, a Glen Cove Democrat who represents the 18th Legislative District, attempted to have the county print and send 36,500 fliers to households in District 3, represented by embattled Republican incumbent John Ciotti of North Valley Stream, and District 7, represented by freshman Republican Legis. Howard Kopel of Lawrence.

The fliers were identical except for the incumbents' names. They contended Ciotti -- or Kopel -- "tried to cut you out of his district. . . . And it cost you a bundle." Yatauro was referring to Republicans' failed attempt to redistrict this year. The move, defeated in court, would have divided the Five Towns, which are now in Kopel's district, and put many minority communities now represented by Ciotti into a new 19th district.

Schmitt said Yatauro's mailings would have cost $50,000.

"This was a blatant attempt to make a political statement in two areas that the Democratic Party is targeting for this election, and such abuse of taxpayer dollars will not be tolerated," Schmitt said in a news release.

Yatauro, who is not seeking re-election, responded in a statement, "The fact remains that Mr. Kopel and Mr. Ciotti voted to remove these communities from their districts. I was simply using my untapped mail budget to inform the public on an important legislative matter which has a direct impact on their lives. Mr. Schmitt can once again abuse his authority in a dictatorial manner to prevent residents from learning the truth, but he can't alter the truth. Mr. Kopel and Mr. Ciotti voted to disenfranchise constituents."