Latest news with #Blakeman
New York Post
5 days ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Blakeman renews ex-Rep. Peter King's $8K a month, no-bid counterterrorism contract without legislative approval
Nassau Democrats are fuming after Bruce Blakeman quietly re-upped his longtime political ally Peter King's no-bid contract Monday, accusing the Republican county executive of cronyism and a lack of transparency. The 81-year-old King, a former Republican congressman, was first hired in November 2023 as Blakeman's 'confidential adviser' on counterterrorism and homeland security, a role that has allowed him to collect up to $8,000 a month without a public vote or an open bidding process due to the sensitive nature of the post. 4 The 81-year-old King was first hired in November 2023 as Blakeman's (right) 'confidential adviser' on counterterrorism and homeland security. Brigitte Stelzer Advertisement Records show Nassau has already shelled out $192,000 to King. And his contract, which was extended on Monday by the county executive, will now run through October. 'No-bid contracts for political insiders like Peter King are exactly why Long Islanders pay some of the highest taxes in the country,' county Legislator Seth Koslow, a Democrat who is running against Blakeman in November, told The Post. 'Bruce Blakeman is treating our wallets like an ATM for his friends. 'This so-called 'sensitive' legal work is just another excuse for a secret payout. While Nassau families are getting squeezed, the GOP machine is cashing in.' Advertisement 4 A portrait of Seth Koslow, who is a candidate for Nassau County Executive. Seth Koslow for County Executive Blakeman called it 'ridiculous' that the Democrats were making an issue of the appointment. He pointed to King's nearly three decades in Congress, where he chaired the House Homeland Security Committee, served on the Intelligence Committee and helped lead post-9/11 emergency preparedness efforts across New York state. He represented both Nassau and Suffolk counties while working on Capitol Hill. 'Congressman King held the highest security clearances in the federal government, military, and law enforcement, and has not only a wealth of knowledge but an extensive network of intelligence professionals that he has made available to Nassau County,' Blakeman said. Advertisement The investment, especially as Nassau cops are gearing up to assist ICE, is needed now more than ever, Blakeman said. 4 Peter King speaks at Bernie McGuirk's memorial at Saint Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan, NY on October 26, 2022. J. Messerschmidt/NY Post Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder also backed the hire, saying King is 'available 24/7' and regularly sits in on meetings with top law enforcement officials from local jurisdictions to the federal level. The ex-congressman has also been intimately involved in major security planning efforts, including last year's Cricket World Cup held at Eisenhower Park, according to Ryder. However, the Dems told The Post Blakeman's move is less about safety and security and more about playing political favorites and doing so without transparency. Advertisement Blakeman used a narrow exemption to get King on the payroll that allows the county executive to hire outside legal counsel in 'highly sensitive' matters, county records show — a carveout Dems said opens the door to cronyism. 4 Dems told The Post Blakeman's move is less about safety and security and more about playing political favorites and doing so without transparency. Paul Martinka Since taking office, Blakeman has used the provision to dole out more than $500,000 in similar government contracts, including $250,000 to a law firm — previously used by President Trump — for legal advice on fighting Gov. Kathy Hochul's controversial affordable housing plan. Most county contracts require a vote from a Nassau Legislature committee and must go through a competitive bidding process aimed at securing the lowest possible price for taxpayers. Typically, only contracts under $1,000 can bypass bidding requirements — but King's deal wasn't brought before lawmakers or opened up to other vendors. 'Even if it's legal, it doesn't mean it's ethical or defensible,' said Koslow. 'Quite frankly, it's a handout.' King's relationship with Blakeman dates back years. The two have appeared together at multiple events, including Blakeman's recent reelection kickoff and over the past 25 years, King and his committees have poured more than $1.1 million into local politics, including many donations to Blakeman and the Nassau GOP. Advertisement Since leaving office in 2021, King has worked as a lobbyist and consultant, but said he still maintains active ties with federal law enforcement and national security officials, spending several hours a week on county business. 'I'm not saying it needs to be me instead of someone else,' King told Newsday. 'But I think it's good to have somebody on the outside who can add a different dimension.' Blakeman has not said whether he plans to extend King's contract beyond this year.
New York Post
6 days ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Nassau County will allow cops to wear face masks for ICE raids, undercover work: ‘We have their back'
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman has carved out a key exemption to the county's controversial mask ban — allowing local cops involved in ICE raids and working undercover to still wear face coverings. The existing law only exempts public mask-wearing for religious or health reasons, but Blakeman's new executive order now gives federal, state and local law-enforcement officers the option to wear masks during operations such as drug and gang raids and soon, immigration enforcement alongside ICE. 5 The existing law only exempts public mask-wearing for religious or health reasons. Brigitte Stelzer 'Here in Nassau County, we respect our law enforcement officers,' Blakeman said at the signing inside the legislative building in Mineola on Friday. 'And we have their back.' The executive order comes as Nassau is gearing up to fully launch its partnership with ICE. Ten detectives have been deputized for the work and are already trained and waiting for the green light. Blakeman said the purpose of the order is to allow cops to mask up during certain police operations 'when deemed necessary' to conceal their identity to 'protect the integrity of their mission' and to limit any possibility of retaliation against them or their families. 5 The executive order comes as Nassau is gearing up to fully launch its partnership with ICE. Brigitte Stelzer The county executive first signed the mask ban into law in August, after the GOP-majority local legislature passed the bill in response to anti-Israel protests across college campuses. The law makes it a misdemeanor crime to wear any face covering unless for religious or health reasons, punishable by a $1,000 fine or up to a year in jail. The law immediately sparked multiple lawsuits that have so far been unsuccessful at shutting it down, with courts citing the existing exemptions written within the legislation as valid. 5 Ten detectives have been deputized for the work and are already trained and waiting for the green light. Kyle Mazza/NurPhoto/Shutterstock Blakeman's executive order is effectively the opposite of a bill proposed Wednesday in neighboring New York City that would prevent any federal agents from wearing masks and other face coverings while on the job. Blakeman said he signed his executive order with the city's bill in mind — wanting to make clear that he will continue to be a partner in ICE's operations in the area despite pushback from the state, the five boroughs and pending lawsuits from civil-rights groups. 5 The law immediately sparked multiple lawsuits that have so far been unsuccessful at shutting it down. Brigitte Stelzer 'I think they're out of their mind,' Blakeman said about the city's proposal. 'I think that they will destroy the city, and I think they will make law enforcement in the metropolitan area, including Nassau County, much more difficult.' The suburb signed an agreement with ICE in February to deputize 10 detectives so they can work federally alongside ICE in helping detain and deport undocumented immigrants. Nassau Democrats slammed Blakeman's partnership with ICE and his executive order as politically motivated and called the carve-out for police an admission of guilt. 5 Blakeman said he signed his executive order with the city's bill in mind — wanting to make clear that he will continue to be a partner in ICE's operations. Brigitte Stelzer 'This executive order is a quiet admission that his original law is most likely illegal,' Nassau County Legislator Delia DeRiggi-Whitton told The Post. 'Democrats warned from Day One that Blakeman's mask ban was vague, over-broad and more focused on politics than public good. 'We proposed a clear, constitutional alternative focused on actual criminal conduct. Instead, the county executive chose a political headline over sound policy, and now he's scrambling to patch the consequences.' Blakeman fired back, 'What I find troubling is the very same people that criticized our mask law are the same people that are saying law enforcement officers in the performance of their duty can't wear a mask to protect their identity if they're involved in a sensitive investigation.' The county executive said the mask ban was never meant to target law enforcement but to deter agitators, who he previously called 'cowards' and claimed were using face coverings to avoid accountability during protests.
Boston Globe
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
A New York county will let officers wear masks when working with ICE
Blakeman, a Republican, said the change did not apply solely to immigration actions, and he cast it as a safety measure meant to keep protesters from tracking down the personal information of police officers and agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up The move comes as Democratic lawmakers in California and New York are pushing to ban the wearing of masks by federal agents, including those working for ICE, in many circumstances. Advertisement The issue of ICE agents taking people into custody while wearing unmarked uniforms and balaclavas to conceal their faces has become a major point of conflict amid the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, with critics saying it smacks of authoritarianism. Mike German, a retired FBI agent and fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice's Liberty and National Security Program, said he had not heard of other local police departments allowing officers to cover their faces. Doing so, he said, puts the officers at greater risk rather than protecting them. Advertisement 'If people in the community don't know who these masked people are, using force against people that they know, obviously there is a reaction to resist that kind of force,' German said. That the masks provoke public resistance, he added, 'should be a clue for officials who are genuinely concerned with public safety and officer safety to understand that that's not helpful, it's provocative.' The mask ban that Blakeman's order amended was adopted by Nassau County last summer in response to the face coverings worn by many protesters at demonstrations across the United States prompted by the Israel-Hamas war. Blakeman, a close ally of President Donald Trump, justified the ban at the time by saying protesters' wearing of masks or facial coverings was 'often used to predicate harassing, menacing or criminal behavior.' Nassau adopted its mask ban, the first by a U.S. county since the coronavirus pandemic, around the time Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, suggested she might pursue some form of statewide ban. She ultimately backed off the idea in favor of supporting the creation of a criminal charge for those who wear masks during crimes. A request for comment emailed to Hochul's office was not immediately returned. Nassau County said in February that its Police Department had formed a partnership with ICE, making it among the first to sign on to the administration's effort to enlist local law enforcement to assist in its mass-deportation efforts. Last month, the New York Civil Liberties Union said it was suing the county and the Police Department, calling the partnership a violation of state law that would undermine protections against unreasonable searches and seizures and would promote racial profiling. Advertisement Patrick Ryder, the Nassau County police commissioner, said at the news conference Friday that mask use would be reserved for 'specific investigations' related to things like immigration and drugs. He also said officers would continue to identify themselves by name, rank and badge number in accordance with state law. German said that historically, the wearing of masks by officers was 'a hallmark of a police state' where the goal was to sow terror. 'So when we adopt those kinds of methods,' he said, 'it's going to have the same effect on the public.' This article originally appeared in
New York Post
30-06-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Long Island launches new anti-shark patrols after beach bite — as top official dives in to defy ‘Jaws'
You've been warned, Jaws. Nassau County's top elected official took a dip at Nickerson beach Monday to prove the waters were safe — as new anti-shark patrols were launched after one of the predators took a bite out of a swimmer. County Executive Bruce Blakeman said anti-shark patrols would scan local beaches while air- and sea-borne police would also keep an eye out for summertime hazards like riptides. 5 Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman took a dip at Nickerson Beach on June 30, 2025 to prove that the waters are safe after a reported shark bite. Brandon Cruz/NY Post 5 Blakeman announced that new anti-shark patrols will be launched for Nassau County beaches. Brandon Cruz/NY Post 'There are sharks in the water,' the Republican told reporters. 'We are increasing our patrols this summer on the oceans as we do every summer, but we're putting up more drones than we have before, keeping our helicopters in the air longer, and our boats on the water longer.' The announcement came about two miles from the spot on Jones Beach where a woman was bitten by a small sand tiger shark last week — a minor incident, though Blakeman said sharks and riptides have become increasingly common on Long Island. . Blakeman said the ultimate goal is safety — and that these increases make sure the marine police can flag any issue in the water that could affect the safety of people swimming before the situation has a chance to escalate. 5 The patrols will work to spot sharks and other hazards like riptides. Brandon Cruz/NY Post 5 Blakeman declared that Nassau beachgoers will have a safe summer if they use common sense. Brandon Cruz/NY Post Beachgoers told The Post they're all for the extra eyes on the ocean. 'I like that there is another set of eyes out on the water so we can just enjoy our time here and not really have to worry about sharks as much,' said Caitlin Rinaldi, a 23-year-old self-described beach bum. Every morning, the NY POSTcast offers a deep dive into the headlines with the Post's signature mix of politics, business, pop culture, true crime and everything in between. Subscribe here! But others said they felt safe for a 'little while' when the new patrols launched Monday but they feared it was all for show. 'Once [Blakeman] left, so did the patrol,' said Lauren Porcelli, who was visiting the beach with her children. 5 Nassau County will use helicopters and drones to help patrol the shores. Brandon Cruz/NY Post However, Blakeman said he timed the press conference to line up with the Nassau Marine Police's scheduled patrol of Nickerson Beach, and said that they left to patrol another area close by. Blakeman himself took a dive in the ocean and went for a brief swim, declaring beachgoers were in good hands. 'If you just use common sense, you'll have a very safe and fun summer,' Blakeman said.
25-06-2025
- Politics
Lawsuit challenges a Long Island county's partnership in New York with ICE
A suburban New York county's agreement with federal authorities to empower local police officers to conduct immigration arrests is being challenged in court by civil rights advocates. A lawsuit filed Tuesday argues the agreement between Nassau County and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced in February violates state law, undermines individuals' rights and will lead to racial profiling. Dozens of other police departments around the U.S. have similar partnerships, known as 287(g) agreements, with ICE, but only a handful exist in New York, where state law limits when police agencies can cooperate with federal immigration officials. The agreements ramp up the number of immigration enforcement staff available to ICE as it aims to meet President Donald Trump's mass deportation goals. Broome County and Niagara County officials also reached agreements with ICE this year, joining Rensselaer County, according to the New York Civil Liberties Union, which filed the lawsuit on behalf of the Diocese of Long Island, immigrant and refugee advocates and two Long Island residents. Nassau County is on Long Island just east of New York City. "This unlawful agreement isn't about safety, reason, or the rule of law — it's about fear mongering and needlessly hurting immigrant communities.' Rubin Danberg-Biggs, Skadden fellow at the New York Civil Liberties Union, said in a news release. In announcing the agreement, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a Republican and Trump ally, said 10 county police detectives would be given the same authority as federal immigration agents and work with them to detain immigrants who are in the country illegally. Blakeman said police would check the immigration status of people charged with crimes and notify ICE if they are there illegally. The arrangement also includes embedding officers with ICE and providing jail cells for short-term detainment until arrestees can be handed over to federal authorities. 'We are not aware of any lawsuit at this time,' Blakeman spokesman Chris Boyle said late Tuesday, 'and while we typically do not comment on litigation, County Executive Blakeman is confident that all measures taken to protect communities in Nassau County are legal and properly authorized.' An email seeking comment was sent to ICE. About 22%, or more than 300,000, of Nassau County's 1.4 million residents are immigrants, according to Melanie Creps, executive director of the Central American Refugee Center, one of the lawsuit's plaintiffs. 'The 287(g) agreement between ICE and the Nassau County Police Department has created fear, eroded trust, and made immigrants, and all of our communities, less safe," Creps said. 'It undermines public safety by deterring immigrants from seeking help or reporting crimes.'
