The Long Island Citizens for Good Government rallied in front of Oyster Bay Town Hall on Aug. 15, calling for the Nassau County District Attorney to hold an investigation into alleged corruption in town government.
Town supervisor John Venditto dismissed the gathering as “just another example of political grandstanding at its worst. “While Mr. Hart and his cohorts are wasting time hosting theatrical press conferences,” said Venditto, “the town board is busy working to diligently address the real issues facing the Town of Oyster Bay and its residents.”
However, Dr. Dean Hart, president of the group, continued to urge for reform. “Oyster Bay is a cesspool of corruption and we’re here today demanding that the state clean it out,” said Hart. These beliefs stem from the recent report that Oyster Bay planning and development commissioner Fred Ippolito received $2 million in undisclosed payments from the family of a town contractor. Documents show Ippolito negotiated a town contract while accepting money from the contractor’s family trust and did not report it to the town board or ethics board, according to various sources. U.S. District Judge Leonard Wexler delayed the sentencing of Fred Ippolito until Aug. 23 in order to further investigate Ippolito’s contract, the money he received and to consider increasing his sentence. The LI Citizens for Good Government reference this case as they push District Attorney Madeline Singas to investigate the rest of the Town of Oyster Bay’s leadership.
