Loss of Suffolk leaders is a shame

For those of us who rely on Newsday for accurate political information, the article attacking my good friend and former colleague Alfred Lama is a new low ["Probe into ethics panel looks at director's time sheets," News, March 31].

In our democracy, the district attorney takes the lead in criminal investigations, no doubt assisted by 90-proof leaks from reporters. Newsday went after Justice Lama after he refused to assist in fashioning nails for Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy's political coffin. It would be most informative to read real investigative reporting about the facts that actually led to Mr. Levy's retreat and surrender of a $4 million campaign fund.

Lama's appointment as executive director of the Suffolk County Ethics Commission is clear testament to the reality of how he is viewed in legal and political circles. He has given more than three decades of faithful service to the people of Suffolk, and Newsday's diatribe is beneath contempt.

Robert Bennett

Riverhead

Editor's note: The writer is a retired chief clerk of the Suffolk County Supreme Court.
 

Regarding "Levy owes voters an explanation" [News, March 25]: Joye Brown believes Steve Levy and District Attorney Thomas Spota owe us an explanation. I say not.

Suffolk County Legislature Presiding Officer William Lindsay (D-Holbrook) and his crew got their wish and were not going to quit until Levy was gone. Congratulations, you have managed to remove the sole elected official who did what the people wanted despite his being called every name in the book.

He said what others thought but were too afraid to say because they wouldn't get re-elected. He is the only one who lived within our means and fought tax increases.

I am sick and tired of both political parties calling the shots. Why is it that the three almighty power men in Albany just "agreed" on a budget? What about all the other elected officials we sent to Albany -- don't they have a say in it? Oh, that's right, they do what their parties, not their constituents, want them to do.

Steve Levy will be out of a job because he didn't kiss the party leaders' rings. Levy did a good job and owes us nothing.

By the way, when I was hired by Suffolk County to represent it in personal injury bus accidents, the only constraint put on me was that I could not hire Levy's wife's court-reporting service when conducting hearings. She actually lost work because he was Suffolk County executive, but no one talks about that.

Marianne Candito

Oakdale

Editor's note: The writer is a lawyer.