McGrath turns down local candidates forums

Chris McGrath, pictured announcing his run for State Senate in February, has agreed to a News12 debate but has turned down a number of local candidates forums. Jeff Bessen/Herald

Todd Kaminsky, pledging to ban outside income for lawmakers at the first press conference of his campaign in Rockville Centre on Feb. 11, said McGrath was hiding from voters.

Courtesy Kaminsky campaign

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Republican Senate candidate Chris McGrath has turned down requests to appear at all three forums organized by the League of Women Voters of Nassau County and at least one planned by a civic group, citing scheduling conflicts, a move that has drawn criticism from his opponents.

A spokesman for McGrath said he would appear on a News12 debate on April 14, alongside State Assemblyman Todd Kaminsky, a Democrat from Long Beach, and North Woodmere resident Laurence “Seth” Hirsh, the Green Party candidate.

Former Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos was convicted of corruption charges in December, and vacated his 9th District seat. The special election is April 19.

Though he has met with a number of community groups, McGrath, an attorney and a Hewlett Harbor resident, has over the past month declined appearances with the Southwest Nassau, Central Nassau and Long Beach chapters of the League of Women Voters, and the Island Park Meet the Candidates Night.

Nancy Rosenthal, president of the Southwest Nassau and Nassau County League of Women Voters, said McGrath turned down forums including one scheduled for March 31 at the Lynbrook Public Library and another on April 7 at the Long Beach Public Library. Rosenthal said that the league had organized another forum in Rockville Centre to accommodate McGrath, but was forced to cancel it after he declined last month.

“They said they have a scheduling conflict,” Rosenthal said. “Kaminsky was a little difficult [to schedule] because of being up in Albany, and it was trying to find the right time and dates for him as well. [McGrath had] three dates and scheduling conflicts, but we were willing to work around it, and we were very much trying to accommodate him. It’s very disappointing to the league because, of course, we believe the public has a right to engage the candidates to learn … about what their positions are.”

On Tuesday, Rosenthal and a spokesman for Kaminsky said that were working to reschedule the Lynbrook forum because Kaminsky will be in Albany, as the State Legislature works to pass a new budget by Friday.