Brookhaven Democratic chairman steps down

Expect Brookhaven Democratic chairman Marc Alessi to step down shortly.

No date has been set but the former assemblyman said he expects to leave within the next week or so. He said he told party officials earlier this year he planned to resign after special elections were over. He cited an increasing business commitment to his new firm, Synchropet, which makes biomedical scanning devices. Alessi said his departure has nothing to do with last week's Democratic loss in the race for highway superintendent.

Richard Schaffer, Suffolk Democratic chairman, said the leading contender to take over the party post is Anthony Parlatore, a lawyer from Stony Brook who lost a district court judge race in 2011.-- Rick Brand