No endorsement in Suffolk's 3rd Legislative District

Republican Rudolph A. Sunderman, 50, of Mastic, had been doing a creditable job in his first term when he was indicted in July by a Suffolk County grand jury.  The charges — five felonies, four misdemeanors — detailed a scheme to circumvent a county Board of Ethics ruling that upon joining the legislature he would have to give up two fire district jobs that paid him nearly $200,000 a year. The indictment charges that he created a corporation with his wife as its head, signed $10,000 monthly checks to it from the Centereach Fire Department, lied after a whistleblower complaint triggered a probe, and failed to report the payments on a financial disclosure statement. 

Sunderman, who pleaded not guilty, declined an interview with the editorial board. He emailed a list of accomplishments, but doesn't mention the ethical lapses that disgraced his office. Sunderman should have resigned. Unfortunately, Democrat Daryl Edelstein, 53, of Bellport, is not actively contesting the seat. 

Newsday makes no endorsement.