Suffolk DA Thomas Spota To Resign At 'Earliest Opportunity'

Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota announced Thursday that he will be resigning from his position at the "earliest opportunity" following his indictment Wednesday on federal corruption charges.

Spota, 76, of Mount Sinai, and the chief of investigations/chief of government corruption bureau Christopher McPartland, 51, of Northport, were arraigned on charges connected to covering up former Suffolk County Police Chief James Burke’s assault on a man in custody in 2012 and the subsequent federal investigation, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Eastern District of New York Office.

"I will be leaving my post as District Attorney at the earliest opportunity after the resolution of normal administrative matters relating to my retirement," Spota said in a statement. "The Governor will be notified of my decision today."

The Chief Assistant District Attorney Emily Constant will assume Spota's role.

Following the indictment, many officials, including Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone called on Spota to resign. In a statement, Bellone said: “As I have said many times before, Tom Spota must resign. The person holding the awesome power to decide whether people go to jail or not cannot effectively serve under federal indictment for corruption.”

There have been calls for Spota to resign in the past. Bellone also publicly called on Spota to step down in May 2016 with claims that Spota is “operating a criminal enterprise that must be stopped.”

Spota said he is not seeking re-election in November after 16 years at his position, according to Newsday.

Candidates on the Nov. 7 ballot will be:

• Tim Sini— (Democrat) current Suffolk County Police Commissioner.
• Ray Perini— (Republican) a criminal-defense attorney who established the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office Narcotics Bureau.
• Bill Ferris— (Republican) a former assistant district attorney, Vietnam veteran and Purple Heart recipient.

Patch photo