GOP insurgent in CD3 revives resume embellishment charge

Daily Point

'Haching' away at LiPetri's record

In his bid for the Republican nomination in the 3rd Congressional District, lawyer Greg Hach faces double duty before next month's primary — seeking to generate rhetorical heat against both the incumbent Democrat Tom Suozzi and rival Republican candidate Michael LiPetri.

On Monday, Hach cited a matter raised more than six years ago about LiPetri, a former assemblyman making his first bid for a congressional seat. The state legislative biography of LiPetri, then 29, noted his work defending "New York City and its agencies including the NYPD, FDNY, and correctional officers," among others. "Mike also worked in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York, Albany County District Attorney's Office and Attorney General for the State of New York."

These were accomplished, however, when he was a law school intern, as The Point noted at the time. But LiPetri said then that he did real work in those internships, from drafting motions to conducting hearings and prosecuting a bench trial.

This week, Hach has revived the story to taunt LiPetri, who of the two is considered the insider in the Nassau County GOP organization. Borrowing the somewhat hyperbolic style of an attack ad, Hach's news release proclaimed: "HACH CAMPAIGN DEMANDS LiPETRI COME CLEAN ON RESUME FRAUD" and stated, "LiPetri Has Spent Years Falsely Claiming that he ‘Successfully Prosecuted' Criminals — As Unpaid Intern Not Yet Admitted to the Bar!"

Fabulist Rep. George Santos, a Republican, was expelled from office in 2023 before pleading guilty to felony corruption charges the following August. Hach sought to succeed him but wasn't nominated by the party for the February 2024 special election, which Suozzi then won against Nassau Legis. Mazi Melesa Pilip.

Santos' 7-years-plus sentence was commuted by President Donald Trump last year after Santos served only three months. In the 2024 general, Nassau GOP chairman Joe Cairo's team got Hach's petitions for a primary disqualified; LiPetri got the nomination and lost to Suozzi 51.7%-48.1%.

Notably, in 2020, LiPetri — who later worked for former Sen. Al D'Amato's Park Strategies consulting firm — competed for a time against Rep. Andrew Garbarino in neighboring CD2. Garbarino, who succeeded Rep. Pete King, is now the senior member of the four Long Islanders in the New York congressional delegation.

For his part, Hach is the founder of Hach & Rose LLP, based in the city, an Air Force veteran, and in the words of his law firm website, an advocate of the labor movement. 

— Dan Janison dan.janison@newsday.com

Pencil Point

The 'kickback'

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Final Point

Trump leaves for China, but first, a high-five for Blakeman

Hours before leaving for a summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and while trying to exit the Iran war, the most powerful person on the planet took time to opine on New York's gubernatorial race Tuesday morning. Unsurprisingly, it was to praise his friend, Bruce Blakeman.

President Donald Trump was a guest on "Sid and Friends In The Morning" to chat with host Sid Rosenberg, a fervent supporter of Trump and Blakeman. A big chunk of time was spent discussing the electoral prospects of Blakeman, the Nassau County executive challenging Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul in November.

Rosenberg introduced Trump as the "greatest president in the history of our country."

"My dear friend, President Trump. Mr. President, how are you, pal?" Rosenberg asked.

"I'm great, Sid, and your show is great," Trump replied. "I hear all about your ratings ..."

It didn't take long for Rosenberg to ask Trump if Blakeman can beat Hochul.

"Well, I think he's got a great chance," Trump said. "You know, Bruce won in Nassau County, which is unheard of for a Republican. ... He's always been a winner. And not only that, he just won in a record amount out there that, you know, if you really think about it, sort of a Democrat area a little bit, although I think he just turned it but it doesn't matter; he wins by a lot."

The Point previously detailed Trump's erroneous claim that Blakeman won reelection as Nassau County executive in a record landslide.

But facts weren't getting in the way of the Blakeman hype show Tuesday. Trump went on to say that Blakeman, as governor, would lower taxes and "bring back safety," among other things, because New Yorkers aren't happy under Hochul. "How could people be happy right now?" he asked. "It's a very sad thing that's going on with New York in every way and he'll bring it back ..."

A public backslap from the commander in chief wasn't Blakeman's only win Tuesday. Hours later, a New York state Supreme Court justice ruled that Blakeman should be able to take part in the matching funds program. Blakeman had been denied by the state Public Campaign Finance Board over a minor paperwork error. The judge said the board's decision was arbitrary and capricious. Newsday's editorial board in March urged the state to allow Blakeman access to up to $3.5 million in matching campaign funds.

Last week, Blakeman, a frequent Rosenberg guest, got more airtime so he could describe his White House visit that included meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and fellow Long Islander, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin.

A Hochul campaign spokesperson, in a statement after Trump's appearance on Rosenberg's radio show, said voters will reject Blakeman's "Trump-style leadership" in November. "Donald Trump's favorite campaign right now is his old buddy Bruce Blakeman's [campaign] ..."

— Mark Nolan mark.nolan@newsday.com

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