Suffolk DA officials subpoena Legis. Monica Martinez' petitions

Investigators for Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota showed up at the Board of Elections on primary day Thursday to subpoena the Democratic nominating petitions of freshman Legis. Monica Martinez who critics say witnessed fraudulent signatures.

Martinez last month withdrew as the Democratic candidate even though she had more than 1,600 signatures, more than three times the 500 needed, rather than testify in court in a lawsuit challenging her petitions. She remains on the Independence and Working Families lines against Giovanni Mata, who now has the Democratic ballot line.

The district attorney's office declined to comment on subpoenas signed by signed by Spota's top corruption prosecutor Christopher McPartland.

The subpoena was issued after a formal complaint was filed by Islip dissidents who first made the claims of fraud in their objections to Martinez's petitions. Martinez foes hired a handwriting expert who claimed that Martinez and her paid legislative aides witnessed at least 97 fraudulent signatures, enough to make all the petitions unreliable.

The subpoena came only days before Martinez appeared with County Executive Steve Bellone to open a joint campaign headquarters in Brentwood.