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Tinari

Tepe

Kay

2010
Huntington Town Conservative
leader Frank Tinari and
Huntington Republican leader
Toni Tepe agree to give a District
Court slot that had been vacated by
a Republican to Conservative John
Andrew Kay. Tepe said she did so
with the understanding that the
judgeship would return to
Republicans in 2014 when Kay
would have to retire at age 70.

Hackeling

Collins

Early 2014

Jan. 2014
Tinari approaches Tepe and proposes
cross-endorsing Republican Steve
Hackeling, Conservative Paul Hensley and
Democrat James Matthews (who is Tinaris
former law partner) for District Court. Tepe
reminds Tinari of her understanding of their
deal on the Kay seat. Tinari disagrees. Their
talks break down.

Tinari approaches Huntington


Democratic chairwoman Mary Collins
about a deal for judgeships. He agrees
to back two Democrats in exchange for
the Democrats agreeing to back one
Conservative in 2014 and another
Conservative judgeship in 2015, Collins
said.

By Collins account, this created an opening


for a Conservative to get cross-endorsed by
the Democrats in 2015.

Hensley

Matthews

Flynn

May-July, 2014
During petition time, Tepe says, Tinari tells her that the District Court
candidates will be Hensley, Matthews and Patricia Grant Flynn.

With these cross-endorsements, the Conservatives agree to back


two Democrats, instead of an incumbent Republican.

Spelman

Marian Tinari

Dec. 2014
District Court Judge G. Ann Spelman files
for retirement. Newsday reports that Frank
Tinaris wife, Marian Tinari, is likely to
succeed her.

Bellone

Feb. 3, 2015
Suffolk County Executive
Steve Bellone, a Democrat, files a resolution
to name Marian Tinari, a Conservative, as a
$156,200-a-year District
Court judge, filling out Spellmans term until
an election that November.

Getting appointed to the bench is a significant


advantage in a judicial race because it confers
the benefit of incumbency.

Tinari

March 3, 2015
The Suffolk County Legislature
unanimously approves Marian Tinaris
appointment to District Court.

Cook

May-Nov. 2015
Marian Tinari is formally nominated to run
for the judgeship. Republicans agree to back
her. On another front, Conservatives endorse
town Councilman Gene Cook, an
Independence Party member who is close to
town Republicans.

This deal leaves the Conservatives with one line


left for one candidate running for Town Board.
Jennifer Thompson, a conservative
Republican, hopes to get Conservative
backing, which she views as critical in the
Democratic-leaning town.
But Conservatives choose to run attorney
Michael Helfer as their candidate for Town
Board.
Helfer

Thompson

By running Helfer on the


Conservative line, the
party effectively siphons
votes away from
the Republican candidate,
Jennifer Thompson.

Helfer gets 2,827 votes. Thompson gets a


total of 11,941 votes. Had she gotten the
Conservative line, she would have defeated
Democrat Susan Berland, who gets a total of
13,153 votes.

Tinari

Berland

Meanwhile, Marian Tinari wins


endorsements from the Independence and
Reform parties, in addition to the
Conservatives, Democrats and Republicans,
and wins a six-year term unopposed.

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