Democratic legislators are suing Nassau County Government Bruce Blakeman claiming that the Lengthy Island Republican illegally created a tax-payer-funded militia — allegations his workplace shortly slammed as bogus.
A lawsuit filed in Nassau County Supreme Court docket by Democrats Debra Mule and Scott Davis and the Free and Honest Litigation group names Blakeman, Nassau County, and county sheriff Anthony LaRocco as defendants alleging they created an unlawful and redundant “militia” by beginning an emergency “particular deputies” program of civilians final yr.
“New York State regulation doesn’t authorize defendants to create a taxpayer-funded militia,” the lawsuit states.
“Defendants’ militia is against the law and represents a considerable and ongoing waste of public funds,” it later provides.
The so-called “militia” refers back to the “provisional emergency particular deputy sheriffs” program Blakeman established on March 17, 2024. This system deputizes volunteer residents who’re licensed to hold firearms to help native regulation enforcement businesses throughout emergencies.
The civilian members can be anticipated to assist defend important infrastructure in Nassau County within the occasion of a pure catastrophe, terrorist assault or different emergency.
Nassau County swore in its first 26 citizen members on Dec. 31. Most of the members are retired from the navy, police departments, or different emergency service organizations. They’re not paid except they’re deployed.
The lawsuit claims this system contains bills that qualify as unlawful spending of taxpayer cash — together with shelling out funds for background checks, conducting random drug screening, offering coaching, and the $150-a-day stipend when they’re activated.
The go well with additional claims that Blakeman’s workplace meant to maintain the main points of this system secret and has refused to adjust to Freedom of Data Legislation (FOIL) requests.
However Blakeman’s workplace stated the lawsuit slanders the gracious volunteers and referred to as the authorized motion useless and shameful.
“Debra Mule and Scott Davis are a shame for bringing this frivolous motion and defaming the volunteers, a lot of whom are retired navy and regulation enforcement, who’ve agreed to pitch in within the occasion of an emergency,” a rep for Blakeman stated to The Publish.
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