Gillen Says D'Esposito Should Resign Or Turn Down New Job

It was revealed earlier Tuesday that Town of Hempstead Councilman Anthony D'Esposito was appointed to a $100,000 job at the Nassau County Board of Elections. Now, Town Supervisor Laura Gillen is calling on him to reject the job or resign from his position on the Town Board.

Newsday reported that D'Esposito started the position at the Board of Elections on Monday, where he is focusing on security of both polling places and election cybersecurity. Until now, D'Esposito was a detective with the New York City Police Department. He said he will use that experience in his new position.

D'Esposito seems to be following the footsteps of his mentor, former Town Supervisor Anthony Santino, who took a job at the Board of Elections after his loss to Gillen, and just days before his term as supervisor ended.

A Republican from Island Park, D'Esposito told Newsday that he would be a "90 percent employee," leaving himself time to still perform his duties at a town councilman. But in a statement, Gillen said that wasn't good enough for the people of Hempstead Town.

"Hempstead residents are sick and tired of the rampant and shameful abuse of their taxpayer dollars. It is wholly unethical and a clear conflict of interest for Councilman D'Esposito to continue serving in his elected capacity while he accepts a plum, six-figure patronage job from his political party," Gillen said. "America’s largest township deserves and requires more than '10 percent' of the councilman’s time. It needs an elected official who is above reproach, not someone indebted to party bosses. The councilman should either refuse the political appointment or resign his position on the Town Board. To work simultaneously in both capacities is outrageous and displays nothing but contempt for the taxpayers we swore an oath to serve."

D'Esposito shot back at Gillen, saying that his new job is in no way a conflict of interest to his position on the Town Board.

"To be clear, there is no conflict of interest between my position as a Hempstead Town Councilman and my new unrelated role in ensuring the security of voting system in the county," he said in a statement. "If there is ever an issue concerning the Board of Elections which comes before me as a councilman, I will recuse myself from the vote. Residents whom I represent on the Town Board can expect the same level of dedication and service from me that I have always brought to the job. I look forward to continuing to represent the public and also keeping our voting system safe and secure."

Photos: Town of Hempstead