Bruce Blakeman attorneys seek to limit deposition questions in armed citizen program lawsuit

Lawyers for Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman — fearing political fallout — are trying to narrow questions in his deposition next month for a lawsuit challenging the armed citizens' deputy program he created.

According to court papers filed this week, Blakeman's attorneys have asked for a protective order to "limit the scope of the deposition questioning of the sitting Nassau County Executive ... to minimize the interference with his official duties as the chief executive of a county of [1.3] million people and as a major party candidate for the Governor of the State of New York."

The protective order, if granted, would restrict the questions to whether Blakeman had the authority to create a list of deputy sheriffs and whether he could activate them,  court papers show.

The filing is the latest in a series of motions attempting to shield Blakeman, a Republican, from possible negative political exposure, as he challenges Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, this November. For more than a year, Blakeman's attorneys have unsuccessfully sought to get the suit tossed, keep certain files on the members of the special deputies' program sealed and preclude Blakeman from participating in the court process.

They also brought a counterclaim alleging the lawsuit "intended to punish, intimidate and harass" the county executive that had been dismissed. 

The lawsuit was initiated by Debra Mulé and Scott Davis, two Democratic county legislators, about a year after Blakeman announced he was recruiting local gun-licensed residents and business owners age 21 to 72 to join a volunteer program giving them police powers during county emergencies. Mulé and Davis, who have filed suit as private Nassau residents, are expected to be deposed on May 12 and 13, respectively, according to their attorneys. 

Blakeman, who is scheduled to give his deposition on May 29, has argued state law allows him to deputize these citizen gun owners and unilaterally mobilize them in emergencies to guard power plants, water towers, hospitals, roads and bridges in addition to monitor protests and marches. He has said the lawsuit is politically motivated and other municipalities have similar programs without controversy.

"This is just the latest in Mr. Blakeman's attempts to avoid accountability to the public for his clearly illegal militia," said Joshua Kelner, a lawyer for Mulé and Davis. " He can try to delay but he cannot hide the truth: this dangerous program should be struck down." 

Critics including county residents, gun-control advocates, some police officials and Democratic lawmakers caution against empowering gunowners. They are concerned the Blakeman administration has not vetted or trained them properly and that they could impede the work of local law enforcement and put citizens at risk. The county's police department employed 4,273 people and had a budget of $601 million in 2025, according to the county comptroller's payroll website.

“We are 100% sure that the lawsuit was initiated for partisan political purposes. The only issue that should be before the court is whether or not the County Executive had the authority to create a list of qualified and willing volunteers should there ever become an emergency that required additional help," Blakeman spokesman Chris Boyle said in a statement to Newsday. 

Earlier this month, the redacted files of 60 members of the program were entered into the court system, unsealing more than 500 pages of information, including cover letters and resumes of those who had applied.

The release came a few weeks after Newsday published a review of the first graduates of the special deputies program that included among its ranks a retired New York City police officer found to have abused his authority, a Nassau GOP-connected physician who had been fired as CEO of the county's public hospital, the owner of a school bus company and several members of a private security firm that mostly guards synagogues in the Five Towns. 

Blakeman's attorney, Joshua Liebman, did not return a message seeking comment. 

The filing also asks the court to preclude Mulé and Davis' attorneys from taking depositions from Nassau County Sheriff Anthony LaRocco and Undersheriff Thomas Sullivan.

By Candice Ferrette

candice.ferrette@newsday.comcandiceferrette

Candice Ferrette covers Nassau County government and politics on Long Island. She has been a reporter at Newsday since 2011.