With the county Democratic convention behind him, Nassau County Executive candidate Adam Haber (D-Roslyn) is gearing up for a primary contest against former County Executive and party favorite Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove).
Haber faces an uphill battle, both in name recognition and endorsements – Suozzi has racked up a slew of backers in recent weeks, including local unions, Democratic party clubs from across Nassau County and Democratic representatives Steve Israel (Dix Hills) and Carolyn McCarthy (Mineola).
Haber’s campaign has attacked Suozzi’s labor credentials, criticizing his work as an attorney representing catering halls currently being sued over allegedly violating state tipping laws, and has portrayed Haber as a political outsider.
“I’m running as an outsider, against the status quo,” Haber said in an interview. “[Selecting a candidate] should not be a party decision. In the Constitution it’s the people’s decision.”
And it’s the people of Nassau who Haber is trying to sway with a political push over the last several weeks to brand Suozzi as supporting anti-labor practices thorough his legal work at Harris Beach.
Workers at several Long Island catering businesses have sued their employers, arguing that service charges on bills should have been distributed to them as tips. Suozzi has done legal work for those companies and defended them as fair employers. A catering company trade group is pushing for legislation to create immunity from lawsuits that the group says are retroactive, financially crippling and unfair.
“He’s representing the catering halls in an anti-union position,” said Haber. “I’m asking to allow the workers to get paid for overtime and get fair wages and get their tips.”
Suozzi has defended the caterers, who say that their use of service charges followed standard industry practice and state guidelines.
“Quite simply, these guys were not stealing the tip cup. Employees were paid above minimum wage and were often high school or college students,” Suozzi told Newsday. “If I felt that these employers were taking advantage of their employees I’d be the first to criticize them.”
Haber also launched his first television as earlier this month, featuring a donut-munching bureaucrat who bemoans the lack of patronage jobs in a Haber-run Nassau. In the spot, Haber promises to give the county a “fresh start” and crack down on waste.
And though Suozzi has been unwilling to get into a back-and-forth with Haber – his campaign declined to comment for this article – one of his allies is jumping into the primary race.
The Working Families Party, which has endorsed Suozzi, released an radio ad last week attacking Haber for being a registered Republican during the 1980s and 1990s. Haber registered as a Democrat in 2000, according to Newsday.
“Adam Haber is using the Republican playbook against Tom Suozzi, questioning Tom’s commitment to Long Island workers,” said the ad, which touted Suozzi’s hiking of the minimum wage for county employees and avoidance of layoffs during his term as county executive.
Haber’s campaign has pushed back against the attack.
“This is clear hypocrisy from Tom Suozzi and his political cronies, who have routinely backed Republicans and Conservatives for years,” said campaign manager Justin Myers to the Daily News.
Reach reporter Dan Glaun by e-mail at dglaun@theislandnow.com or by phone at 516.307.1045 x203. Also follow us on Twitter @theislandnow1 and Facebook at facebook.com/theislandnow.
