By Hank Russell
Members of the New York State Democratic Party accused Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman of putting Nassau County residents on the hook for last week’s event that they said was actually a political rally.
As previously reported in Long Island Life & Politics, President Donald Trump visited Long Island on August 14, endorsing Blakeman for governor. The president went on to tout Blakeman’s record on crime while blasting Governor Kathy Hochul for forcing local municipalities and police departments to end their agreements with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
State Democrats noted that even Trump himself referred to his visit to the police training academy in Uniondale as a “rally.” In fact, Trump posted on Truth Social, “Just left a Rally in Nassau County in honor of Bruce Blakeman, who is running for Governor of New York. The crowd went WILD. Something very interesting is happening in New York State! He is a great person, a great politician and, if elected, will be the best Governor in the History of New York! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
According to Newsday, Trump acknowledged local elected officials in attendance, including Congressmen Nick LaLota (R-Rocky Point) and Andrew Garbarino (R-Patchogue), as well as former Congressman Peter King and former U.S. Senator Alfonse D’Amato. He also “greeted” David S. Mack, “a former MTA Board member and big political donor,” according to the outlet.
Newsday also pointed out that the officers and cadets were in their uniforms during the event. Chris Boyle, a spokesperson for Blakeman, told Newsday the officers were not on the clock.
The NYS Democrats also pointed out that Public Citizen filed a complaint on August 17, claiming that U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche violated the HATCH Act by attending the event, which the group called “a political rally.”
“Blanche’s blatantly partisan campaigning on behalf of a Republican candidate is yet another reason why he is unfit to be Attorney General,” said Lisa Gilbert, co-president of Public Citizen. “As he has repeatedly made clear, Blanche’s priority will always be Trump and his political allies, never the American people or the rule of law.”
State Dems said this is a rerun of Vice President JD Vance’s appearance in Bethpage in June. They said Vance was supposed to talk about crime and fraud, but instead, used the opportunity to bash Governor Kathy Hochul and U.S. Congressman Tom Suozzi.
“Imagine the groans from Long Islanders after Bruce Blakeman not only jacked up their property taxes and celebrated skyrocketing housing prices, but stuck them with the bill after Trump flew in to Nassau to ‘give some love’ to Blakeman and push their shared, toxic MAGA agenda,” said NYS Democratic Party spokesperson Addison Dick.
Assemblymember and Deputy Majority Leader Michaelle Solages (D-Valley Stream) called the gathering “a campaign rally on taxpayer dollars” that avoided core economic issues. She posted on X, “Shame on @NassauExec for throwing a campaign rally using taxpayer dollars while Nassau families struggle to afford the basics.”
Dick said this is not the first time Blakeman has done this. Trump’s appearance at Nassau Coliseum in 2024 resulted in $1 million in police overtime costs, with Democrats arguing that taxpayers would be stuck with the bill.
LILP reached out multiple times to Blakeman’s office for comment, but did not hear back as of press time.
LILP also reached out to the White House for comment on this. “The truly ‘toxic agenda’ is the extreme liberal Democrats’ soft-on-crime policies, including cashless bail and sanctuary cities that release dangerous criminals from jails into American communities,” said spokesperson Lauren Bis. “These policies have cost countless innocent American lives. Unlike Defund-the-Police Democrats, President Trump promised to stand with our law enforcement officers and to deliver safer American neighborhoods. Thanks to the President’s policies, 2025 was the largest year-to-year decrease in violent crime.”