In reading this paper’s coverage of the ongoing litigation surrounding the Town of North Hempstead’s ordered repairs at Clinton G. Martin Park, I was struck by Councilwoman DeGiorgio publicly commenting on the case.
In the article titled “Town Board wasn’t told of Clinton Martin changes: De Giorgio” published on October 15, the councilwoman was quoted as saying that “somebody dropped the ball” and that “there’s plenty of blame to go around.”
In making these vague statements that clearly could be construed as admissions against interest for the Town, DeGiorgio is committing a cardinal sin for a party in ongoing litigation.
While it remains to be seen whether these statements will be capitalized on and used against the Town, the question must be asked why she would make these sorts of comments in a yet-unresolved dispute.
As a trained attorney, the councilwoman was presumably aware of the risks making these sorts of comments posed, leaving an observer to surmise that her motive was likely political. Especially when the Town Board was instructed not to comment on the case because it is in litigation.
However, in doing so in such a haphazard manner, the Councilwoman is abandoning the interests of not only her constituents but all taxpayers in the Town of North Hempstead by making statements that could be used in the litigation.
The councilwoman’s decision to make these ill-advised comments was an example of politics at their worst. They showed a lack of discipline and threaten the interests of all taxpayers in the Town of North Hempstead. At best, the comments were poorly thought out and display a lack of discipline. At worst, they show the sort of self-centered actions that epitomize the lowest form of our politics.
Voters in the councilwoman’s district should hold an action like this against her as Election Day approaches. Residents throughout the rest of the town all surely hope that we won’t be forced to eat the consequences of her actions as the litigation over the park continues.
Peter Fishkind
Great Neck
