Island Betrayal: Staten GOP Leaders Accused of Sabotaging Own Party!
Tannousis and Lanza's Alleged Political Grift: Voters Left in the Dark!
By M. Thomas Nast
As I spoke with rank-and-file Staten Island Republicans and Conservatives over the past few days, very few know what the local GOP Leadership is doing.
Designating Petitions hit the street last week, how ballot access is secured on the major party labels in New York State. There is no Republican candidate for the 23rd State Senate District, which encompasses the Island’s North Shore and a swarth of South Brooklyn. Why? In 2022, the Republican candidate, businessman Joe Tirone, lost by just over 700 votes.
In the current political climate, running a Republican candidate in that spot is a no-brainer, and Michael Tannousis and Andrew Lanza aren’t idiots.
As any seasoned political operative will tell you, They Got Paid.
First and foremost, it’s a presidential year, and Trump is at the top of the ticket. The expected voter turnout is high, and Republicans (more so than Democrats and Independents) tend to vote down the line.
Second, it’s not 2022. With the battle lines of the illegal immigrant crisis drawn squarely across that State Senate District, a large number of new voters are looking for an answer to the uptick in crime, decrease in property values, and dissipation of quality of life they have seen in the past two years. While former State Senator Diane Savino’s successor, Jessica Scarcella-Spanton, has stood with Republicans in challenging some of the Adams administration’s decisions, a Republican with a focused message in that district will translate into votes on Election Day.
Third, Republicans were substantially out-funded by Democrats in the 2022 race. A solid candidate with solid funding can win in 2024.
But that will never happen. The fix is already in.
In 2022, Andrew Lanza and Michael Tannousis actively blocked funding to Joe Tirone’s campaign from Albany. A commitment of $10,000 to an Election Day pull operation would have ensured that the seat went red.
“We had the money ready to go from the State Senate Campaign Committee, and other help was lined up, but we never got the green light. Everyone was kicking themselves on Election Night because we were led to believe that race was unwinnable. It was just the opposite,” said an Albany insider who didn’t wish to be identified.
Instead of acting like leaders, Lanza and Tannousis played “traffic cops” and blocked Tirone in 2022, ensuring Jessica Scarcella-Spanton’s victory.
Now, they aren’t even putting up a candidate in 2024. Why? Because that is how shady political business is done. And this isn’t anything new. As former Republican Party Leader, Lanza’s Chief of Staff, Anthony Reinhardt, made a terrible deal for Republicans with the judicial nominations in 2022.
“We got Brendan Lantry on the Supreme Court Bench, which was good. But we gave them two seats in return - Judy McMahon and another. I don’t know why we didn’t just go to the polls. We would have won three Republican judge races in November 2022. When [Reinhardt] cross-endorsed, he probably didn’t realize the Democrats would get 70% of their votes on the Republican line,” said an unnamed Republican County Committee Member.
Republican County Committee sources say there were never any internal plans to run Tirone or anyone else for that seat. “I don’t know what [Tannousis] is doing. There’s no plan to challenge them actively. I’m not sure who he’s taking his orders from,” the unnamed Republican County Committee Member said.
I’ll tell you who Tannousis is taking his orders from: Democrats. It’s no secret that he’s a lawyer with judicial aspirations. Albany sources say that giving up this seat to the Democrats has earned him the promise of an appointment to the Court of Claims by Governor Kathy Hochul.
In addition, Democrats have agreed to carry some Republican “special interest” legislation for Lanza and Tannousis in both legislative chambers, earning both politicians favor with those who fill the NYS GOP's coffers.
Seemingly, nothing can derail the NYS political grift machine. But where does that leave the rank-and-file voter concerned about illegal immigrant street crime and plunging property values? You’re on your own.
The deal is signed and sealed, and Lanza and Tannousis are about to receive their payday. Let’s hope the next Kate Steinle or Laken Riley isn’t from Staten Island.
