The Nassau Interim Finance Authority, a state agency that oversees the county’s finances, has hired an auditor to assess the county’s spending on external legal counsel which was reported at an all-time high last year of $20 million.
“Nassau County’s ‘outside counsel’ spending raises serious questions that I hope this audit will answer about management of the County Attorney office, the seeming disregard for the County’s procurement rules, and litigation driven by publicity rather than any real benefit to Nassau residents,” finance authority Vice President Rory Lancman wrote in a statement.
NIFA entered into a $20,045 contract with Nawrocki Smith LLP to audit the Office of the County Attorney and the county’s spending on external law firms in 2023 and 2024.
Last year, Nassau County spent $20 million on outside legal counsel and another $10 million for its in-house legal team.
This height of spending is unique to Blakeman’s administration.
Prior to Blakeman taking office, the county’s external legal expenses ranged from $3-$6 million but jumped to $9 million in fiscal year 2023 and then $14.5 million in fiscal year 2024.
Some of the rates for the external attorneys ran as high as $2,395 an hour.
Blakeman countered criticism of the high expense, saying in a statement the hiring of outside legal counsel has resulted in savings for the county.
“Nassau County has gotten stellar results as I have reduced liabilities by over $400 million over the the past three years thereby saving an extraordinary amount for the taxpayers,” Blakeman said. “Nassau County is no longer the legal pushover it was prior to my election.”
Nassau County currently employs 61 attorneys in its county legal office.
The county has taken on multiple lawsuits over the past year, including fighting multiple legal challenges against its banning of trans athletes on female sports teams, filing suit against the state’s even-year elections and a legal battle with Hofstra University cover the proposed Las Vegas Sands Casino.
Some of the contracts with external firms cover cases that pre-date Blakeman’s tenure.
Newsday reported that contracts they received through Freedom of Information requests show that many of the outside firms hired by the county had donated to Republicans, including Blakeman, and worked for President Donald Trump.
The contracts were awarded were to the sole bidder despite rules requiring multiple bids.
Nassau County Legislature Deputy Minority Leader Arnold W. Drucker (D – Plainview) applauded the Nassau County Interim Finance Authority initiating an audit, saying there has been a longstanding issue of “overreliance” on outside counsel.
Drucker said the problem has grown “exponentially worse” during the Blakeman administration.
