Suffolk PBA settles complaint it interfered in Robert Trotta's reelection campaign

The Suffolk County Police Benevolent Association has agreed to pay $50,000 to settle a complaint its political action committee improperly interfered in the 2021 reelection campaign of Legis. Rob Trotta, a frequent critic of the union’s political influence.

The union’s PAC — the Long Island Law Enforcement Foundation — supported union official and Suffolk police officer Michael Simonelli’s bid for the seat held by Trotta, according to a settlement with the state Board of Elections. The settlement, obtained by Newsday, says the organization openly opposed Trotta and that Simonelli benefited from $251,230 in spending by the PAC, exceeding the state’s $3,262 limit for that race.

The settlement states Simonelli had “operational control” over the PBA PAC between Sept. 28, 2020, and Oct. 14, 2021, more than four months after he had declared his candidacy in the 13th Legislative District. State election law forbids a candidate to be an agent of an independent expenditure committee that supports them.

PBA president Noel DiGerolamo called it a “clerical error” and said a vendor erroneously put Simonelli’s name on a form indicating he had been in control of the PAC while he was running.

The complaint names DiGerolamo as a respondent, along with Simonelli and his campaign manager Nancy Marks, PAC treasurer Miguel Vias and 17 other PBA officials.

It was investigated by the state Division of Election Law Enforcement, created in 2014 to probe alleged election law violations. Michael Johnson, the division’s chief enforcement counsel, declined to say who made the complaint or offer additional details.

The PBA admitted no liability in agreeing to the settlement.

“There were no findings of inappropriate conduct,” DiGerolamo said. “The settlement was in lieu of litigation which would have far exceeded the agreement.”

Trotta (R-Fort Solanga) said the settlement “validates what I have been saying for years — the county is riddled with corruption.”

“It is unfortunate that the unscrupulous acts of the PBA hierarchy continue to cast an undeserved shadow over the hard working, rank-and-file officers of the Suffolk County Police Department,” he said.

As part of the settlement, Simonelli and Marks — a former campaign treasurer for U.S. Rep. George Santos (Nassau/Queens) — will refund the PAC $3,666.

Simonelli said in an email he agreed with DiGerolamo’s description of what happened. Marks, who resigned as Santos’ treasurer in January, could not be reached for comment.

The settlement notes that Suffolk PBA members remit $1 per day from their paychecks to the PBA, which funds the Long Island Law Enforcement Foundation’s operations.

Trotta, a retired Suffolk County detective, has had a longstanding feud with the county PBA. He has contended for years that the union has transferred hundreds of thousands of dollars in dues collected from members without their consent and made political contributions beyond legal limits.

Trotta fended off challenges from Simonelli, who also had the backing of the Conservative Party, and Democrat Kevin Mulholland in the November 2021 general election.

Earlier this year Trotta was taken off the legislature’s public safety committee after the Suffolk PBA called for his removal when he threatened to publicly play a private recording of a conversation he said he had with Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney K. Harrison.

By Vera Chinese

vera.chinese@newsday.com@VeraChinese

Vera Chinese covers Suffolk County government and politics. She joined Newsday in 2017 after working as an editor for the East End lifestyle publication northforker and a general assignment reporter for the New York Daily News.