Long Beach and Nassau County Democratic leaders at odds

Committee chairs Zapson and Jacobs clash over local organization

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Nassau County Democratic Committee Chairman Jay Jacobs describes his support for two new candidates in the party’s City Council primary as part of a “revolt” over leadership issues that a number of local civic associations — and even some members of the council — have raised regarding Mike Zapson, the Long Beach Democratic Committee chairman, a managing attorney at Davidoff Hutcher & Citron LLC and a former county legislator.

“This revolt started quite a few months ago,” Jacobs said. “It was organic, and came up through various civic groups and some members of the council who felt that Zapson was involved in too many things that, at best, represent conflicts of interest. As county chairman, they asked that I do something about it.

“Some time a few months ago, members of the council wanted to stop the ongoing practice of Zapson sitting in on planning meetings,” Jacobs continued. “They felt he was utilizing information he got there to help others get contracts. They all felt uncomfortable about it — that’s how a lot of the zoning board members got appointed.”

City Council President Len Torres and others with knowledge of the meetings, known as caucusing, confirmed that Zapson was asked by the council in December to stop attending in order to avoid any potential conflicts of interest — but they claim that it was not for the reasons cited by Jacobs. Torres said that the request did not represent a “breaking away” from Zapson, and that the council was never pressured to vote a certain way.

“That’s the way we as a council felt — that government and politics need to stay separate,” Torres said. “We collectively said that we would no longer meet with [Zapson] on governmental matters. However, Zapson is our party leader, and he’s led a very successful organization over the years and continues to do so.”

Other members of the council declined to comment. Eramo, however, said, “I have never been told by anybody how to vote.”

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