Democratic Acting District Attorney Madeline Singas won a full term in office Tuesday night, winning nearly 58 percent of the vote (113,110 votes) to Republican Kate Murray’s 42 percent (82,028 votes).
“This victory transcends Republican or Democrat,” Singas said at a gathering of Democrats in Garden City. “This victory means the voters put aside their partisan issues. The voters overwhelmingly said we’re going to put our community first.”
Singas beat former Hempstead Town Supervisor Murray by a 15-percent margin despite a Newsday/News 12/Siena College poll showing the race nearly tied going into election day.
Speaking to fellow Republicans in Westbury, Murray said she had “never been prouder” of any campaign she had run.
“When you’re in a tight race, you see who your friends are, and my goodness, I never knew I had so many friends,” she said.
Singas, a Manhasset resident, took the $174,000-a-year job at the helm of the DA’s office in January, after her Democratic predecessor and current U.S. Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-Garden City) took office in Congress.
A graduate of Fordham University’s law school, she started her prosecutorial career at the Queens DA’s office in 1991 and eventually led its Domestic Violence Bureau. In 2006, Rice tapped her to run Nassau’s newly created Special Victims Bureau. She was there until 2011, when Rice chose her as her chief assistant.
Murray was elected Hempstead’s Town Supervisor in 2003, the first woman to ever hold the office, after serving two years as Town Clerk.
She has a law degree from Suffolk University in Boston and served as a state assistant attorney general in the office’s criminal justice section, working on civil cases related to prisons and inmates. She was elected to the state Assembly in 1998, where she helped craft criminal laws on the codes committee until being appointed to the Town Clerk seat.
The race pitted the relatively unknown Singas against Murray, an established name in Nassau politics.
Singas characterized herself as “a prosecutor, not a politician,” juxtaposing her 24 years as a prosecutor with Murray’s complete lack of experience trying criminal cases.
Murray, of Levittown, admitted she was not a prosecutor, but said the DA’s true role was to lead and manage the office as a “CEO.”
That didn’t convince Singas, or newspaper editorial boards.Â
In an interview with the New York Daily News’ editorial board, Murray gave wrong answers to basic criminal law questions and passed on others, which the paper slammed her for in an Oct. 19 editorial as well as subsequent commentary.
“The voters would have a choice,” Singas said Tuesday night. “Would they choose someone with the expertise and the experience, a prosecutor who could root out corruption, a prosecutor who could end the heroin scourge in our community, a prosecutor who could end violence on our streets? And today the voters responded with an overwhelming yes.
Murray positioned herself as a “tough” DA, often saying Singas was too soft on public corruption, heroin and domestic violence — the issues that defined the race.
Both candidates promised to be tough on corruption, which voters named the county’s most pressing issue in two Newsday polls.
Murray often said she would prosecute officials accused of wrongdoing no matter their uniform or political stripe.Â
But Singas questioned whether she would follow through given her deep GOP roots, and tried to connect Murray to former state Sen. Dean Skelos and his son Adam Skelos, who were indicted on federal corruption charges earlier this year.
Singas touted her investigation into the county’s contracting process, which she called “a recipe for corruption” in an August report.
But Murray made her own accusations of corruption in the DA’s office, raising questions about Singas’ role in the office’s out-of-court settlements and what she called the “stonewalling” of a whistleblower.Â
Murray made heroin her top campaign issue, promising to unequivocally oppose sending any accused drug dealer into diversion courts, which place addicted defendants in treatment programs rather than jail.
She said Singas’ prosecutors never object to diversion, letting dangerous dealers go back out on the street.
Singas repeatedly dispute Murray’s claim, saying her attorneys weigh in when it’s appropriate, but sometimes judges put dealers into diversion anyway no matter how vehemently a prosecutor objects.
She also touted her work with the county-wide Heroin Prevention Task Force and her recent efforts to make treatment more accessible for addicts.
Murray also charged that Singas was weak on domestic violence and the exploitation of women, arguably the hallmark of her career.
She said Singas “blamed the victim” in a 2006 domestic violence case and called for the firing of her top administrator, who was accused of “antisocial” sexual behavior by his estranged wife in divorce filings.
Singas called Murray’s claims dangerous while touting her work in the Queens Domestic Violence Bureau and her role in starting the Nassau Special Victims Bureau.
Murray cited her work with the Suffolk University Battered Women’s Advocacy Project, which Singas tried to dismiss as a once-a-week law school internship.
Nassau Democratic Party chairman Jay Jacobs, who gave Singas’ campaign $47,000 of his own money, congratulated her Tuesday night.
“You have to have a candidate that does an outstanding job and we have that in Madeline Singas,” he said.
GOP chairman Joe Mondello said Murray’s work as Hempstead supervisor and on the campaign trail inspired the many Republicans who won their races.
“It hurts that she’s not going to be the district attorney, but she’s got a great future with the Republican Party,” he said.
Nassau County’s Tough on corruption DA Madeline Singas teams with (federally indicted) “Boss” Ed- sticky-fingers -Mangano to make the community safe. What is Mrs Singas’s position on the (enterprise corrupt) racketeering leader? Ed Mangano’s corruption was reported to federal authorities long before Ed- sticky-fingers -Mangano’s corrupt politics in regards to the [cover-up] death of Darryl Woody. Mr Woody’s death was ruled a suicide by hanging by Nassau County’s medical examiner. Death by asphyxiation. Darryl Woody’s (highly) suspicious death is a homicide that’s being covered-up as a suicide by NUMC, NCCC, and Nassau County’s Executive leader Ed Mangano’s Administration. Darryl Woody’s death on January 3, 2011 was caught on Video Surveillance Cameras at NUMC and NCCC. The Video Surveillance Cameras were implemented by federal order, and the DA’s Office, to be installed at NCCC and in NUMC’s Secure Prison Wing for inmates at the jail. (former) County Executive Thomas Gullota, following the [1999] beating (stomping) death of inmate Thomas Pizzuto. Pizzuto was begging for his (prescribed) medications when he was attacked and brutalized by jail guards at NCCC. Five officers were convicted for Pizzuto’s beating death. Gullota said that the Video Surveillance Cameras would protect the safety and security of correctional-staff and inmates-to protect the integrity of investigations into inmate’s claims of excessive force abuse by jail guards agains prisoner. Darryl Woody, like Thomas Pizzuto, was also begging for his medications when he, [too’] was attacked, brutalized, and tortured for seventeen hours (by seven jail guards) after he was “found”, while on 1to1 Suicide Supervision (suicide-watch), slashing himself on the wrist and neck in an attempt to get his (prescribed) medications. Darryl Woody was treated for [pepper spray] burns by the nurse on staff on for_four ‘separate’ incidents [prior] to being transported NUMC. Day’s later, on January 3, 2011, Darryl Woody, while “still” on 1to1 Suicide Supervision, was, again, (supposedly) “found’ hanging by a sheet in his room/cell at NUMC. His death was caught on the Video Surveillance Cameras ordered, by the feds and the DA’s Office, installed at NCCC/NUMC. The jail blames NUMC. The Medical Center blames NCCC. Both conspire to hide the truth from the public and Darryl Woody’s legal representatives in a colluded effort to to Violate Darryl’s Human and Civil Rights to Due Process and a “fair” jury trial that’s represented by all the evidence of the investigation; which includes the government protected (electronic) Video Surveillance Camera Files that depicts Darryl Woody’s neglect, abuse, torture, and the [actual] cause of Darryl Woody’s death by asphyxiation_a homicide! Nassau County’s DA’s Office , under Mrs Rice’s leadership called for a probe into Darryl’s death that followed three previous inmate (supposed) suicide in one year at NCCC. How did the DA’s Office, that ordered the (former) County Executive (Gullota) to install, fail to use the very tool that the feds and the DA’s Office ordered installed to aid in investigations(?) How did NCCC’s Internal Affairs and Nassau County’s [finest] Homicide Squad, NYSCOC, the legislature, and the [Federal Government] all fail to review the reform tool_cameras, that each of these law-enforcement and Over-site committees know exits. This is a “Major Scandal that’s being perpetrated against an innocent, mentally-ill pre-trial detainee, who, Like Thomas Pizzuto (when he was killed), begging for his (prescribed) medications. Denial runs deep in Nassau County government administration lead by a (federally indicted) Executive leader linked to Enterprise Corruption, Bribery, and Racketeering. The DA’s Office under Rice is complicit in this cover-up scandal for facilitating and enabling Ed- sticky-fingers -Mangano and his crony appointed cohorts at NCCC and NUMC amounts to murder. Darryl Woody’s death is a homicide caught on Video Cameras at NUMC and at the Jail. Where does Nassau County’s [current] DA Madeline Singas’s Office stand when it comes to the Matter Of Darry Woody? Madeline Singas’s Office was alerted to this miscarriage of justice and the omission of the Video Surveillance recording that’s being (injudiciously) denied to us by the (corrupt) Supreme Courts in Mineola New York. We have yet to hear from her Office or the feds! Where are the federal authorities that implemented the Surveillance Cameras, then following Darryl’s death, ordered a [mandatory probe] into his (suspicious) death (while ‘still’ on 1to1 Suicide Supervision (suicide-watch), at NUMC(?) the feds know! The feds are in bed with NCCC like the DA’s Office was Under the (former) Nassau County DA Dennis Dillon, who ordered Thomas Gullota to install the Cameras at the jail. Madeline Singas currently heads the DA’s Office. She ran on cleaning up government corruption. How about starting with the (federally indicted) corrupt ‘Boss Ed- sticky-fingers -Mangano’s Breach of office and oath of his Executive responsibility for colluding with his crony appointed Sheriff Michael J. Spasato, and the Risk Management Team leader Michael Farrendino for the deliberate and malicious tampering with government protected files; evidence that depicts a homicide(!) Understandingly, Madeline Singas wasn’t the DA when Darryl’s death was caused. However, she’s in charge [now]! Her Sworn duty and Oath of Office put Mrs Singas in a vital position. Already, She has managed to be in association with a continuing criminal enterprising [know] felon racketeering mobster; Ed- sticky-finers -Mangano and his corrupt conspiring operatives on the legislature and at NCCC/NCCC. Ed Mangano taking Nassau County’s inmates back to NUMC’s Tragic-Care. This politically engineered health-care crisis at NCCC was part of his [hidden] agenda from the start. Darryl Woody’s death on January 3, 2011, “Shut It Down!” Now Ed- sticky-fingers -Mangano and his crony appointed cohorts wants to take Nassau County residents [backwards to the future] by giving NUMC a ‘clean bill of health’_inmates be damed! Before Armor Correctional Health’s disaster-care, there was NUMC costing lives at the jail. Experience is our best teacher. “We’ve been this road before! NUMC was ‘then’ and are now ‘still out of compliance. NUMC is covering-up the death of Darryl Woody , like NUMC’s doctors attempted to cover-up Thomas Pizzuto’s death that got Cameras installed at the the jail and the Medical Center. NUMC not transparent . When it comes to medical malpractice, NUMC is un-accountable. This is criminal! Malicious Tampering is a felony in New York State that carries a penalty for up to seven years ifs convicted! The responsibility [first] falls on Council, for the defendant corporations, to order the preservation of the Video Records depicting the incident that caused Darryl Woody’s death. Full disclosure! “What Does NUMC, NCCC, and Mangano’s regime’s cohorts “Have To Hide? “We Can Handle The Truth!” “Release The Video(s)!” “Now!” From Thomas Pizzuto’s death (1999) to Bartholomew Ryan’s death (2012)…”What About Darryl Woody!” (killed) January 3, 2011 at NUMC/NCCC, while ‘still’ on 1to1 suicide-watch at NUMC. Six years have past and ‘still’ jail/ medical officials have been brought to justice! The Media is aiding and abetting the defendant corporations by not reporting on the very Video Surveillance Cameras that the press wrote articles about being installed at NCCC. Why is the “Free Press selling-out(?) Corporate Media protects the Establishment’s Corporate interest! The media was contacted numerous times_to no avail. Why(!) We Contacted the Attorney General, also, in this Matter Of Darryl Woody. The Attorney General. Is he a Mangano appointee too? Calling on Madeline Singas to show Due Diligence in this urgent criminal conspiracy to violated Darryl Woody’s Due Process to a fair trial. This is enterprise corruption [101] Obstruction Of Justice. Rats usually abandon a sinking vessel! Ed- sticky-fingers -Mangano’s “Not Going Down Alone!” He has implicated his his operatives at NUMC to continue his agenda to defraud Nassau County tax-payers. His reign of RICO activities must stop. Mangano and his side-kick henchmen and NCCC and NUMC Must Go! “What About Darryl Woody!” Trial Date set for September 11, 2017. Index: 017721/2011 at the corrupt Supreme Courts in Mineola New york.