Singas: Why you Should Vote for Me in Democratic NCDA Primary

Patched asked Nassau County District Attorney Democratic candidate and acting Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas to submit a Letter to the Editor to explain why residents should vote her to the position.

With Primary Elections taking place on Thursday, any candidate running for an elected position is invited to submit a Letter to the Editor to Patch.

You can read Nassau County District Attorney Democratic candidate Michael Scotto’s letter here.

See Singas’ letter below.

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To the editor:

This Thursday, voters will head to the polls to choose the Democratic Candidate for Nassau County District Attorney.

I am most qualified to protect Nassau’s families because I am the only candidate in this race who has ever fought crime in Nassau County. I am the only candidate who worked shoulder-to-shoulder with former DA Kathleen Rice, and I am the only candidate who is serving as Nassau County’s top law enforcement official. Put simply, experience fighting crime in our county matters.

Working alongside Kathleen Rice, I started Nassau’s first-ever Special Victims Bureau and in 2011, she promoted me to her second in command. During this span, our office became nationally known for aggressive and progressive prosecution. Now, as Acting District Attorney, I’m continuing this proud legacy.

Since I became Acting DA in January, we’ve made putting an end to public corruption a priority. Earlier this year, I launched a probe into Nassau County’s contracting system that found significant deficiencies and made numerous recommendations in a comprehensive report. While our probe is still ongoing, the findings from the report have already prompted County Executive Ed Mangano to form a committee to reassess the county’s contracting process.

I am also tackling the national heroin epidemic here in Nassau County. Just last week, I proposed legislation that increases penalties for heroin-related crimes and creates a “death by dealer” statute, enabling prosecutors to charge dealers with felony homicide when their customers suffer fatal overdoses. My office utilizes the “Not My Child” program to educate children, parents and community leaders on the dangers of heroin, signs of its use, and the resources available to help them. I also am co-chair of the Nassau County Heroin Prevention Task Force and I meet regularly with substance abuse treatment professionals and families affected by this addiction to come up with comprehensive and effective systems to combat the scourge of heroin.

Finally, I am leading the office progressively, utilizing innovative policies to protect our families. My office is working to keep at-risk youth off the streets by developing programs that connect them with mentors, vocational training, community service projects, and drug counseling. And programs like Youth Court ensure that young people who commit nonviolent offenses don’t have to pay for it with the rest of their lives.

I’ve spent my entire career prosecuting violent criminals, locking up drug dealers, and protecting our families. And if you believe Nassau deserves a career prosecutor for District Attorney, please vote for me on September 10.

Madeline Singas

Acting Nassau County District Attorney