Mangano policy avoids leadership conflict
Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano. (June 21, 2011) Credit: Howard Schnapp
In New York City, as in Suffolk, it is against the rules for people in party leadership positions to run any of the city's or county's agencies.
Not so in Nassau.
The contrast cropped up two years ago when Edward Mangano ran for county executive. At that time Roger Bogsted -- then county Conservative chairman as well as incumbent Thomas Suozzi's consumer affairs commissioner -- was key to denying his party's endorsement to challenger Mangano.
Mangano said of the city's strictures on such dual roles: "I believe Nassau County should have a similar law. It makes sense. It should be prohibited to allow a government official to use his office to influence elections."
Mangano went on to beat Suozzi, of course, but so far, there's no word of any such bill making its way through the county legislative process.
When asked about it Friday, Mangano spokesman Brian Nevin noted: "The county executive has not appointed any party chairmen as commissioners" and so "has implemented this policy administratively."
Deputy County Executive Rob Walker remains a Hicksville Republican committeeman, but as Nevin points out, Walker is neither a chairman nor president of any club.
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