Kevin McCaffrey hits political horse trading, but aide may have benefitted

Republican Suffolk Legis. Kevin McCaffrey criticized Conservatives for political horse-trading for jobs when Democrats gave Conservative Tom Gargiulo their ballot line to run against him in November.

But McCaffrey legislative aide Jennifer Montiglio, daughter of Babylon Conservative Party chairman Tom Montiglio, got her $53,374-a-year job in 2015 after the minor party gave McCaffrey crucial support when he narrowly beat Democrat Tim Sini. Sini was elected Suffolk County district attorney in 2017.

In the legislative race, Sini, then an aide to Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, lost by 310 votes, while McCaffrey got 1,076 of his 5,342 votes from the Conservative ballot line.

The same day Democrats gave Gargiulo their endorsement for county Legislature, the party also gave Jennifer Montiglio, a Conservative, its backing for Babylon Town tax receiver to replace retiring Conservative Corinne DiSomma.

McCaffrey, of Lindenhurst, called Montiglio “hardworking” and “capable” and said he intends to vote for her in November.

McCaffrey has filed petitions to run a write-in Conservative for the June 25 primary against Gargiulo for the Conservative ballot line.