Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said Thursday that longtime District Attorney Tom Spota has created a culture of corruption.
“The culture of corruption that has clearly existed now in this county and in law enforcement for decades has continued unabated and has only worsened.” Bellone said.
Bellone issued a long list of allegations, ranging from Spota blocking federal investigations to supporting Suffolk’s former police chief who pleaded guilty to beating a suspect and covering it up.
Bellone also pointed to a report published in Newsday that found Spota did not prosecute possible criminal activity of a defense attorney that was uncovered in wiretaps issued by the D.A’.s office.
Newsday reports the wiretaps allegedly show attorney Robert Macedonio involved in criminal activity with cocaine traffickers, gang members and various public officials in 2007. Despite the alleged illegal activity, Spota declined to prosecute some of the more serious crimes.
Spota said Thursday that he believes he has no reason to step down and that Bellone’s comments were based on a “vendetta” because he had prosecuted allies of Bellone.
Bellone said that if Spota does not step down, he will call on Governor Andrew Cuomo to exercise his authority under the state constitution to remove him from office.