Norma Gonsalves of East Meadow, the Nassau County Legislature’s Republican presiding officer, said Thursday that she would not seek re-election this year.
Gonsalves, 82, was a civic leader before she first took office in 1998. She was made the Legislature’s leader in 2012 following the death of then-Presiding Officer Peter J. Schmitt.
Republicans will look to replace Gonsalves, whose campaign was sanctioned last year for election law violations, as they defend their legislative majority by fighting the specter of corruption within their own party.
“… I have done my best to lead this body with integrity and transparency, which have been my guiding principles in presiding over the County Legislature,” Gonsalves said in a statement.
Gonsalves’ age and the political hangups of her election-law flap were the primary drivers of the decision, according to one senior Republican Party source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
A state Supreme Court judge last year fined Gonsalves’ campaign committee $14,000 for failing to file 10 reports disclosing donations and expenditures from 2013 to 2015. The state Board of Elections had alleged her committee failed to file 34 such reports from January 2006 to February 2015.
While Gonsalves had no personal liability in the case, it “would have dominated more time than it deserved” during a campaign season in which corruption is the dominant issue, the GOP source said.
Nassau’s Democratic Committee has tapped Eileen Napolitano, an East Meadow community activist, to run for Gonsalves’ 13th Legislative District seat. Napolitano ran against Gonsalves in 2015.
“While I respect Norma’s decision and her commitment to public service, this should clearly be taken as a sign that Nassau taxpayers have reached a boiling point, and are in dire need of real reform from the inside out,” Napolitano said in a statement Thursday.
Napolitano on Tuesday proposed a “Gonsalves amendment” to expand GOP legislators’ proposal to ban certain felons from ever holding county office to include anyone convicted of violating campaign finance law.
The GOP is likely to pick Assemblyman Tom McKevitt, also from East Meadow, as Gonsalves’ replacement, Newsday reported.
The GOP source could not directly confirm that, but said McKevitt had been mentioned as a candidate and that party officials were interviewing him Thursday.
McKevitt, an attorney, was first elected to the Assembly in 2006 and is the Republican minority conference’s second-highest-ranking member.
“When you have somebody of McKevitt’s caliber, he does come in with a little bit of leg up” in the race, the GOP source said. “He is pretty much squeaky clean, too.”
In her statement, Gonsalves touted her outreach to Latino residents and her efforts to establish a veterans clinic at Nassau University Medical Center and maintain East Meadow’s Cornell Cooperative Farm.
Stop The Press! Norma Gonslves has conspired with NCCC and NUMC to violate Darryl Woody’s Civill Rights to Due Process. Norma Gonsalves as a presiding member of the Jails Advisory Board that oversees NCCC in 2011 failed to hold NCCC and NUMC accountable or transparent in the January 3, 2011 death of Darryl Woody. Darryl Woody’s death on January 3, 2011, while on 1to1 Suicide Supervision at NUMC’s Secure prison Wing for prisoners at the jail, is a homicide covered-up to look like a [Suicide by hanging], Darryl Woody’s death was death was caught on Video Surveillance Cameras at NUMC and at NCCC. Nassau County is hiding the truth about Darryl Woody’s death by asphyxiation. Nassau County’s (federally indicted ) Executive Ed- Sticky-fingers -Mangano and his crony appointed cohorts at the jail and the Medical Center have colluded to obstruct justice by denying access to theses government protected (electronic) Files that depicts Darryl’s death_a homicide! Darryl Woody, like Thomas Pizzuto (1999) was begging for his (prescribed) medications at NCCC when he was attacked, brutalized, beaten and then [repeatedly] tortured by pepper gas by seven jail guards at NCCC, following a [reported] suicide attempt. Darryl, while on 1to1 Suicide watch was said to have removed his Suicide Prevention Gown, then climbed to the ceiling( in his suicide prevention cell), dismantle a smoke detector to use to slash his wrists and neck, in a attempt to get his denied medications. After his violent cell extraction, Darryl could be heard screaming…’Newsday Reports…’
“I told them when I came in I needed my medication, and they didn’t give it to me!” he cried out, his voice echoing through the cell block as he was taken to a shower for decontamination. “I did this to get my meds, I’m sorry, but I need them!”
Ten days later on Jan. 3—Woody hanged himself with a bed sheet anchored to medical equipment while on suicide watch at the now-defunct prison ward in neighboring Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow. Darryl Woody death was caught on Video Surveillance Cameras that Norma Gonsalves Committee had to vote the approval the tax-payer purchase costing Nassau residents in excess of $2 million dollars. Thomas Gullota was ordered by federal authority and the DA’s Office to implement and install Cameras at NCCC and all medical locations following the beating (stomping death of Thomas Pizzuto. Norma and her legislative co-defendants and fellow conspires are [All] guilty of omission. How did NC’s Homicide Squad,along with all the independent law enforcement agencies investigating Darryl’s suspicious death, {fail to review the Video Surveillance files? This is a “Major Scandal” Norma Gonsalves is corrupt! What’s NUMC, NCCC, Nassau County’s Executive Administration have to hide? “We Can Handle The Truth!” “Release the Video(s)!” “Now!” Trail date September 11, 2017 at the (corrupt) Supreme Courts in Mineoal. Index: 017721/2011.
D. Videotaping
75. NCCC shall maintain sufficient hand-held video equipment to record all planned uses of force and sufficient equipment for investigators and supervisors to view such videotapes. The Deputy Undersheriff of Operations shall be responsible for ensuring that videotape equipment is properly maintained. NCCC shall develop and implement policies and procedures for recording all planned uses of force to the extent practicable; for training personnel assigned to film uses of force in the use and maintenance of such equipment; for disciplining staff who fail to videotape incidents as required; for disciplining staff who tamper with the videotape machines or tapes; and for reviewing regularly the tapes. NCCC shall maintain the used tapes for three years to ensure that evidence is not destroyed or lost. No tapes containing relevant evidence shall be destroyed during the pendency of any civil, criminal, or administrative investigation, prosecution, or litigation.
Norma Gonsalves should be in Jail for her willful ignorance in matters pertaining to NCCC and NUMC. Norm Gonsalves is complicit in the cover-up of abuses at NCCC. She’s as corrupt as Ed- sticky-fingers -Mangano and his crony appointed cohorts at NCCC and NUMC. Norma Gonsalves breached her duties by failing to hold NCCC and NUMC accountable for the deaths of several inmates that were abused by jail guards: some resulting in sever injuries and death. Nassau County (former) Executive Thomas Gulotta was ordered by federal authorities to implement and install Cameras at the jail and NUMC’s medical wing following the (1999) beating (stomping) death of Thomas Pizzuto by abusive jail guards. Pizzuto was attacked and beaten for five minutes because he would not stop begging for his medications at NCCC. His death resulted in five killer jail guards being convicted on manslaughter charges and new reform policies at NCCC/NUMC. This reform policy included the implementation of Video Surveillance Cameras being installed at the jail and in NUMC’s prison ward for treating inmates. Cameras ordered by the federal government and Nassau County’s DA’s Office. Since Pizzuto’s death in 1999. Nassau County inmates have been subjected excessive force abuses that, in many cases, were caught on Video Surveillance Cameras that were approved by the legislature; Norma Gonsalves was a long time legislator that headed the Jail Advisory Board for NCCC. Despite her knowledge of the availability of the Video Surveillance Cameras to investigate claims of excessive force abuse by correctional guards, against prisoners at the jail. Norma Gonsalves contemptuous actions aided, abetted and facilitated in the cover-up of abuse by failing to hold NCCC accountable for the production and review of the Video Surveillance Files that was implanted to save lives. Inmates at NCCC have suffered un-imaginable abuses by abusive jail guards for years; while Norma Gonsalves showed willful disregard for the safety and security of correctional-staff and inmates. Her failure to show due diligence over the years have created a dangerous environment for prisoners at NCCC; most still awaiting trial. Darryl Woody, like Thomas Pizzuto, was begging for his (prescribed) medications when, he too, was attacked, beaten, brutalized by seven jail guards after Darryl was said to have attempted, what was described as, suicide attempt. He was repeatedly tortured by pepper gas ( and treated Successively by a Nurse) for seventeen hour before being transported to NUMC the next day for treatment and mental heath assessment by doctors. Day’s later, while “still” on 1to1 [Constant] Suicide-watch, Darryl Woody was said to have been “Found” hanging by a bed-sheet at NUMC. His [highly suspicious] death was ruled a suicide by the medical examiner; death by asphyxiation. [All} caught Video Surveillance Cameras at NUMC and at NCCC. NUMC, NCCC, the Jail Advisory Board and Nassau County’s (federally indicted) Executive ‘Boss Ed- sticky-fingers -Mangano have all conspired to Violate Darryl Woody’s Human and Civil Rights to a fair trail in Nassau County’s (corrupt) Supreme Courts in Mineola; where the lawsuit was politically engineered to be litigated instead of the federal courts where Darryl would get justice. Nassau County is hiding the truth! Darryl’s death was caught on Video Surveillance Cameras at NUMC and at NCCC. The Medical Center blames NCCC. The jail blames NUMC. Both conspire to hide the government protected (electronic) files that depicts Darryl Woody’s true cause of death by asphyxiation, while “still” on [Constant] Suicide-Watch (under doctors care) at NUMC. All captured on Video Cameras that Norma Gonsalves, in her official capacity on the Advisory Board and legislative member, failed to show due diligence in obtaining or reviewing. Tax payer purchased Surveillance Cameras implemented to save lives! This is a breach of Office and criminal collusion that’s one can reasonably assess as an attempt to obstruct justice in a death investigation. Failure to report is a crime. Malicious tampering with government protected files is a felony in New York State that carries up to seven years if convicted. Norma Gonsalves breached her duties as an elected public official in-charge of over-seeing the jail. Darryl Woody’s death is being covered-up and litigated in the (corrupt) Supreme Courts due to her contemptuous failures and omissions. She’s a former spokes person for NCCC and an honorary award recipient at NUMC. She’s also next door neighbors to Sheriff Michael J. Spasato and the Sheriff’s wife Elizabeth Loconsolo, Counsel for the Sheriff’s Department; A Conflict Of Interest that Norm Gonsalves knew for years. The Sheriff’s Department has been covering up abuse at NCCC since, before Thomas Pizzuto’s death put Cameras in the Jail. Since then Nassau Count has had multiple deaths occurring at the hands of killer correctional guards at the jail. In each instance there were Video Surveillance Camera footage available that would have shed light on the truth. Cameras intended to aid in investigations; to protect the integrity of an investigation, that Norma Gonsalves in her position on the legislature could have intervened. She failed to do so in efforts to protect the jail and the Medical Center from federal take-over as in the Pizzuto investigation where 40 federal agents descended on NCCC for several months following the attempted cover-up up Pizzuto death. Thomas Pizzuto who was killed for begging for his medications (that were being denied to him) got Video Cameras installed at NCCC by Thomas Gulotta. Darryl Woody, on the other hand was begging for his (prescribed) medications at the jail was denied the aid of the Video Surveillance Camera footage to prove his “True Cause of his Death by Asphyxiation. What’s NUMC, NCCC, Nassau County Executive (government) Administration Have To Hide? “We Can Handle The Truth!” Release The Video(s)!” This is a homicide that’s being covered-up as a suicide! There’s Proof! Darryl Woody’s death was caught on Video Cameras at NUMC/NCCC. Suicide Or Homicide! “You Decide!” Release The Video(s) !” “NOW!” Trial Date: September 11, 2017, at the (corrupt) Supreme Courts in Mineola, where the Vide(s0 are being injudiciously denied to our [compromised] sell-out attorneys. Three separate lawyers have been compromised by Nassau County’s pay-to-play political institutions with ties to the corporations that we are suing for wrongful death. This is a Federal Civil Rights Case that should be litigated in Federal Court. Nassau County has corrupted the judicial process and our attorneys. We have NO lawyer for this matter thanks to Pizzuto old lawyer Dennis Kelly Esq. Who took the case from Eliot Bloom and then mysteriously dropped us after setting a September 11, trail Date! Un-ethical(!) No it’s down right corrupt!v This is a “Major Scandal being perpetrated against an innocent mentally-ill pre-trial detainee, who was begging for his medications and medical treatment for injuries sustained at Williston Park Police Department where Darryl Woody was beaten by detectives during interrogation for a complaint-less crime, false arrest, on Christmas Eve 2010. The police described that incident as an apparent suicide attempt_also! That makes two attempts and the final (supposed) suicide that claimed his life. Tree incidents [all] captured on Video(S)! Not any of these Video Surveillance Cameras files have been produced for trill,despite the litigation-hold to preserve the government protected (electronic) files that proves that Darryl Woody was abused repeatedly and then silenced by killer jail guards at NCCC. No justice for Darryl Woody in Nassau County (corrupt) Supreme Courts in Mineola. Where are the Federal Authorities that ordered the Cameras to be installed? There was a federal probe following four suicides at NCCC in one year! The Feds know! I reported this matter to Michael Goidberger at the Eastern District Civil Rights Branch in Brooklyn N.Y. We took him the falsified files also. The Feds are in bed with NCCC and NUMC! No Justice for Darryl by the feds neither. This is a’Major Scandal! Norma Gonsalves is complicit for facilitating this cover-up. She’s a fraud, fake , and a phony. She’s corrupt and criminally complicit. Too bad she’s too old for Federal Prison where she and her fellow committee members should be! From Thomas Pizzuto to Bartholomew Ryan… “What About Darryl Woody!” Suicide Or Homicide? You Decide! “Release the Video(s)!” Index: 017721/2011. FOIL Request to no Avail!