State court shoots down term-limit suit

A state Appellate Division panel has denied a Suffolk resident's bid to challenge the elimination of term limits for District Attorney Thomas Spota, County Clerk Judith Pascale and Sheriff Vincent DeMarco.

State Supreme Court Justice Ralph Gazzillo decided last year that the county term limit shouldn't apply to the three officials. At the same time, Gazzillo denied the resident, Peter Nichols, standing to intervene in the case. Last week, the Brooklyn-based panel voted 4-0 to reject Nichols' motion to appeal.

Bruce Plesser, Nichols' attorney, declined to comment. Spota has the backing of Republican and Democratic leaders for another term but has not said if he will run again. -- Rick Brand