Former Floral Park Mayor Thomas Tweedy has announced his bid for 2nd District Councilman Ed Ambrosino’s Hempstead Town Board seat.
Tweedy, a Republican, said at a press conference Thursday alongside town Supervisor Laura Gillen that he will seek the Democratic ticket nomination for Ambrosino’s position.
Ambrosino is slated to begin a federal trial on Feb. 25 for wire fraud and tax evasion charges.
Nassau County Republican Party leaders said they will not back Ambrosino for the seat in the November election, but have not named a candidate, a party spokesperson said.
“The Republican Committee is disappointed and shocked that former mayor and registered Republican Thomas Tweedy would join the tax-hiking Gillen/ Curran team in his bid for Hempstead Town Council,” the spokesperson said.
“The time has come for inspired, honorable leaders whose goal is to serve and not enrich, to unite and not divide, to advocate and not obfuscate,” Tweedy said. “It is time to return integrity to this office and to the town board.”
“The part of Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt has become a morass of patronage, nepotism and cronyism,” Tweedy said.
In 2017, Tweedy endorsed Gillen in her run for supervisor across party lines. In a letter to Blank Slate Media, Tweedy said “the Town of Hempstead needs Laura Gillen.”
“Gillen’s clearheaded, insightful yet pragmatic approach to problems, her pleasant, welcoming manner and engaging, personal outreach to the people of the town during her campaign have been a welcome breath of fresh air,” Tweedy wrote.
“The 2nd District deserves to be led by someone with honor, good moral values and integrity,” Gillen said. “The 2nd District needs to be led by someone that is not afraid to step forward and challenge the status quo.”
Tweedy has taken bold steps in opposing a video casino at Belmont Park and bucking his own party, Gillen said.
The Democratic party has not yet announced who will be running in November, aside from Tweedy and Gillen, who is running for her first re-election. On the town board, two other council seats are up for re-election: the 3rd District, currently held by Bruce Blakeman, and the 5th District, currently held by Erin King Sweeney.
Nassau County Democratic Chairman Jay Jacobs was not immediately available for comment.
The Floral Park politicians who attended the hearings on the proposed Belmont Park arena are the most disingenuous bunch of turkeys I’ve ever had the displeasure of listening to. Their contempt for their neighbors raises my hackles to the point where I actually HOPE that Governor Coward sticks the dumpster side of the Mattia Cuomo Casino at their doorstep.
If you want to restore integrity then vote Gillen out of office. A politician who calls someone’s employer 2 times to complain about their negative comments is committing Official Misconduct according to NYS penal code 195.