County Executive Candidate Says Nassau Residents Deserve to Know
By Hank Russell
Seth Koslow, the Nassau County legislator who is running for County Executive on the Democratic ticket, is calling on the current county executive, Republican Bruce Blakeman, to “come clean” on what was discussed during his January 14 dinner with New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
Blakeman and Adams dined at Cipollini Trattoria & Bar, a high-end Italian restaurant in Manhasset, according to Koslow. “Bruce Blakeman is supposed to be looking out for Nassau taxpayers, but instead, he’s having dinners at fine Italian restaurants with a criminally indicted mayor from another county,” Koslow said in a statement. “Maybe next time he should try sitting down with actual Nassau residents to talk about why their taxes keep going up, why crime is on the rise, and why their cost of living is through the roof under his failed leadership.”
(All corruption charges were dropped against Adams on February 10. On February 13, Danielle Sassoon, the acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, resigned after she was told by the U.S. Justice Department to drop the case.)
“Was this dinner a political favor? A backroom deal? A legal strategy session?,” Koslow rhetorically asked. “Who knows — because Blakeman refuses to tell the public what was discussed. What we do know is that Blakeman is spending more time looking out for the Mayor of New York City than he is for the people of Nassau County.”
Long Island Life & Politics reached out to Blakeman’s office and did not hear back as of press time. However, this reporter heard back from the mayor’s office, which sent this post from X (formerly Twitter) the night of the dinner.
“Sat down with @NassauExec Bruce Blakeman tonight to discuss how we can work together as neighbors to tackle the issue of violent gangs in our region,” Adams posted. “Violence has no place in our communities, and I thank the county executive for wanting to find ways to partner together to create a safer New York for all.”
However, Koslow is demanding full transparency from Blakeman, including the immediate release of any texts, emails, or call logs related to this January 14 dinner, as well as a public accounting of any other meetings or meals he’s had with Adams since his indictment.
“The people of Nassau deserve a leader who’s fighting for them — not someone who’s too busy taking secret dinner meetings with indicted politicians,” Koslow said. “If Bruce Blakeman doesn’t want to answer these basic questions, then maybe it’s time Nassau voters show him the door.”