Prosecutors to vie for supervisor Mazzei in, Lesko likely, in race to replace state Senator-elect Brian Foley
By Lee Lutz	write the author
December 10, 2008 | 02:55 PM The race for Brookhaven supervisor will be a battle of former prosecutors. Councilman Tim Mazzei (R-Blue Point), a former prosecutor in the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office, officially threw his hat into the ring Tuesday in a press conference outside Blue Point Elementary School, alma mater of both Mazzei and his father and current school of the councilman's young daughter. And Brookhaven Democratic officials say current federal prosecutor Mark Lesko — who made headlines prosecuting Nassau County's infamous "slave labor" case earlier this year, and also for his dogged pursuit of bid-rigging charges in Long Island's paving industry — has the inside track for the Democratic nomination. Mazzei and Lesko would square off early next year for the right to complete the supervisor term being abandoned by Democrat Brian Foley, who won election to the state Senate in November. Town officials have 90 days to schedule a special election after Foley resigns, expected Dec. 31. There is one year remaining on Foley's term. However, while all but handing their nomination to Lesko, town Democrats were very careful this week to avoid electoral improprieties created by the federal Hatch Act, which became law in 1939. The act severely restricts political activity by federal employees, meaning Lesko cannot campaign — or even declare his candidacy — while working for the Department of Justice. When asked Tuesday if Lesko was going to be the Democratic candidate, Marsha Laufer, chairwoman of the Brookhaven Town Democratic Committee, replied "I believe so," and suggested Lesko would resign his prosecutor position Dec. 31 and declare his candidacy Jan. 1. Lesko was unavailable for comment this week. At his press conference Tuesday, Mazzei — surrounded by his vocal supporters and elected lawmakers including Suffolk Legislator Dan Losquadro (R-Shoreham), state Sens. Ken LaValle (R-Port Jefferson) and John Flanagan (R-East Northport) and former Republican Supervisor John LaValle — noted that he's "seen how good government works" during his five-plus years on the Town Board, but "lately, not so well." Brookhaven is a "big town, like a big business," and it "needs a business man who know how businesses run," Mazzei added. In addition to his part-time duties as 4th District councilman, the former chief of the Suffolk's D.A.'s Homicide Division is a partner in a Blue Point law firm. Referencing the rancorous partisan politics that have plagued Town Hall this year, Mazzei noted several times Tuesday that he would "reach across party lines" as supervisor and pledged to "work well with board members of other parties." But Democratic rivals were quick to reject the councilman's bipartisan promises. "As the majority leader on the Town Council, he has abandoned his promises to cut taxes and spending in order to reopen the Republican patronage mill," Rich Schaffer, Suffolk County Democratic chairman, said in a written statement. "No one has worked harder to oppose and undo my reform efforts than Tim Mazzei," Foley said in a separate statement. "Tim Mazzei would return us to the darkest days of Crookhaven, when decisions were made out of Republican headquarters, not the supervisor's office." Laufer termed Mazzei's bipartisan wishes "amusing." "He has the most divisive, partisan agenda I've ever seen," the Democratic chairwoman said.