New federal subpoenas for Suffolk Board of Elections
Michael Torres leaves his job at the Board of Elections in Yaphank, Sept. 12, 2014. Credit: Ed Betz
Federal prosecutors have issued a new round of subpoenas to the Suffolk Board of Elections, seeking emails, calendars and the work produced by former senior assistant commissioner and county Conservative Party secretary Michael Torres in advance of a grand jury hearing Thursday.
One subpoena requires Republican Elections Commissioner Nicholas LaLota to bring or provide records of all work performed by Torres, calendars of meetings he attended and his applications for employment since 2007, when Torres started at the board.
A second subpoena, which does not specifically mention Torres, requires LaLota to provide vehicle logs and travel records, including gas receipts and E-ZPass records kept by the board of elections for county vehicles since 2007 that employees can sign out.
The elections board has about six vehicles that are typically used for inspecting polling locations and that employees can sign out, LaLota said. Torres said he used his "personal vehicle most of the time, and I was never even reimbursed for mileage or anything like that."
Both subpoenas require the records to be provided to the grand jury before Thursday at 10 a.m. at U.S. District Court in Central Islip.
The new subpoenas, dated Nov. 4, were provided to Newsday by the Suffolk Board of Elections in response to a Freedom of Information Law request.
Newsday reported in October that the FBI had subpoenaed Torres' time sheets and personnel records from the board of elections. Election board officials sent a package of more than 100 documents to the FBI office in Melville.
Torres said he has done nothing wrong. "Everything is in order," Torres said Tuesday. "I have no clue what they're looking for. I have no factual clue as to why it'd be going on."
LaLota said, "It is both my duty and privilege to work with those who are rooting out corruption in Suffolk County."
Torres, who earned $105,428 in 2014, was fired by LaLota on Oct. 2 in the wake of a battle between Suffolk Republican chairman John Jay LaValle and county Conservative chairman Edward Walsh. The fight erupted when Walsh joined Suffolk Democratic chairman Richard Schaffer in cross-endorsing judicial candidates, cutting out Republican-backed candidates. One who was cross-endorsed was Torres' future father-in-law, Howard Heckman, who won a seat on state Supreme Court.
Torres, 42, also is facing a felony criminal charge brought by Suffolk District Attorney Thomas Spota. Torres allegedly concealed criminal convictions on an application for a seat on the Islip Town Board of Assessment Review. Torres has pleaded not guilty to offering a false instrument for filing.
Walsh is standing by Torres.
"Mike is one of our top guys, a really good friend of mine," Walsh said. "If they [federal officials] served subpoenas, that'll work itself out."
Walsh, who faces an upcoming trial on federal criminal charges that he gambled, golfed and did political work while on the county clock as a correction lieutenant, said Conservatives enjoyed great success the past election. He's pleaded not guilty.
Walsh called Heckman "immensely qualified" for the bench. "Obviously, Mike Torres is important. His father-in-law is immensely qualified. If he put his name into play, of course it'll be considered," Walsh said.
A spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney's office declined to comment Tuesday. LaValle also declined to comment.
David Schwartz covers environmental issues. A native Long Islander, he's worked at Newsday since 2013.
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