Hempstead councilman’s Facebook post likens Santino to Kim Jong Un

Hempstead Town Councilman Bruce Blakeman posted a photo to Facebook last week comparing Supervisor Anthony Santino to North Korea’s dictator, Kim Jong Un.

The post, which has since been deleted, stemmed from Santino’s State of the Town address last Wednesday, to which Blakeman and Councilwoman Erin King Sweeney said they weren’t invited. Both council members have been feuding with Santino in recent months over ethics reform.

“Supervisor gives a State of the Town speech and a) doesn’t invite Council members and b) doesn’t give prior release to Town Board. Why all the secrets? Not American! Reminds me of someone,” the post stated.

It was accompanied by a photo of Santino and Kim with their faces switched. The post was deleted after a few hours — but not, Blakeman said, because of any backlash. He said he usually deletes posts after a few hours because “I like to keep my Facebook page very positive.”

“I was very annoyed that the supervisor was giving a State of the Town speech without notifying the board,” he said.

He said any claims that the post was offensive or racist is “complete nonsense.”

“It has nothing to do with any race or ethnicity,” he said. “It has to do with management style.”

Mike Deery, a Hempstead Town spokesman, said the post was “juvenile and unworthy of an elected official.”