Were 'trackers' sent to a Koslow fundraiser?

Daily Point

Were two young mystery guests helping or trolling the Koslow campaign in the Nassau County executive race?

Political campaigns often send "trackers" to public appearances by rival candidates. The goal is to catch a gaffe on video that can be used as a negative.

Perhaps that was the case when two women, at least one of whom was an intern for Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, visited a fundraiser for Blakeman challenger Legis. Seth Koslow on May 27 and contributed $75 each to get in.

Ordinarily, however, "trackers" are thought of as people who look on and record an event without participating.

One Koslow loyalist, who preferred to call it "spying," wondered aloud if the two were sent by the Blakeman campaign or what else may have motivated them to attend, and if they spent their own cash or were reimbursed.

Whatever the deal, while one of the "guests" recorded, the other questioned Koslow, according to the campaign.

"If elected, would you repeal the trans ban?" the candidate was asked at the fundraising event, held in the Campagne House in Bethpage.

"Seth responded by explaining that Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman’s executive order instituting a trans ban [for female sports in county facilities] had already been struck down by the courts as illegal because Blakeman did not possess the legal authority to issue it," a campaign official told The Point. "Seth then pointed out that, after that ruling, the Republican majority in the County Legislature voted to pass a similar ban through legislation."

Then Koslow, who’s part of the legislature’s Democratic minority, explained the separation of powers between executives and legislatures, the official said, and that he’d consult legal counsel on the exact limits on executive authority. But the most direct way to repeal the ban, if that’s the goal, would be to have the legislature write a new local law.

"Seemingly confused and unsure what to ask next, the two quickly left," the official said. No response or comment was available as of Wednesday afternoon from the Blakeman camp after a spokesman was contacted by The Point.

Sounds like it went very awkwardly for two "guests." 

— Dan Janison dan.janison@newsday.com

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