Nassau Legis. David Denenberg Tuesday pleaded guilty to falsely claiming that he had witnessed eight people sign a nominating petition in June 2003 for his bid to be elected a Democratic committeeman.
The Merrick Democrat's plea to a single election law misdemeanor came amid a flurry of partisan attacks and counterattacks, including a Denenberg supporter filing complaints of petition fraud with Nassau County District Attorney Denis Dillon against 150 Republican committeemen.
A GOP spokesman fired back, accusing Democratic County Executive Thomas Suozzi of orchestrating the complaints against the Republicans as all sides threatened to take their roiling fight to New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer.
Patrick McCormack, chief assistant to Dillon, a Republican, said politics played no part in the Denenberg investigation. But the plea could have a political effect. Democrats control the county legislature by just one vote -- 10 to 9 -- and any public dissatisfaction with Denenberg, who consistently wins his majority Republican district, could threaten his re-election, and swing the balance of power.
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http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/ny-lidene0113,0,1522434.story?coll=ny-topstories-headlinesHe's my county legislator (Nassau, NY 19). This is so depressing. He's a hard working guy and probably the best legislator in Nassau. This actually started as a witch-hunt by a "democrat" named Michael Byrne. He was pissed that he was smoked in a primary by Denenberg. What a disappointment.