Two candidates from both sides of the aisle announced plans to run this fall against Acting Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas, a Democrat who replaced her former boss four months ago.
Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray accepted the Republican nomination Wednesday as the GOP candidate to be the county’s top prosecutor. Her nomination came the same day that Michael Scotto, a former Manhattan prosecutor and Port Washington native, declared his candidacy during a news conference at the New York State Supreme Court building in Mineola. Singas started campaigning for the post shortly after taking it over.
“My District Attorney’s office will be blind to political, monetary or family ties,” Scotto said. “Justice must be meted out objectively, without fear or favor, regardless of money, wealth, power or identity.”
Scotto, 50, intends to give Democrats a choice in the September primary against Singas, 48, of Manhasset, who was sworn in as acting district attorney Jan. 6 on the same day that her predecessor, Kathleen Rice, became a member of Congress. Rice had selected Singas, who had been Rice’s chief assistant.
The winner of the primary will go on to face Murray, 52, in a special election for the post that will be held on Election Day, which falls on Nov. 3.
“I will take my experience as a leader and a lawyer to reshape the District Attorney’s Office to ensure a safer Nassau County for all of our residents,” Murray said in her acceptance speech at Wisdom Lane School in her hometown of Levittown.
All three candidates are lawyers, but Murray, who previously worked for the state Attorney General’s office, is the only one who has previously run for elected office and won. The former state Assemblywoman won her sixth term as town supervisor last two years ago. Town Councilman Anthony Santino, the spokesman for the Nassau County Republican Committee, is reportedly running to replace her as town supervisor this fall.
Scotto and Singas both touted their outsider status. But, Singas’ campaign would only comment on Murray, not Scotto.
“Madeline Singas is a prosecutor, not a politician,” Isaac Goldberg, Singas’ campaign manager, said in a statement in which he noted that Murray “has not been in a courtroom since the 1990s.” He added: “Nassau County needs a tough, aggressive prosecutor as District Attorney and that’s what Madeline Singas will be because that is what she’s been her entire career.”
