Nassau County candidates clash over NUMC controversy as pressure mounts for state, federal action

Allegations of financial mismanagement from past leaders at Nassau University Medical Center are taking center stage in the race for Nassau County District Attorney, as candidates for both DA and the legislature clash over accountability and oversight.

Democratic challenger Nicole Aloise called Republican incumbent DA Anne Donnelly to take action and fully investigate former CEO Meg Ryan and other former leadership over what she called a “blatant pattern of public corruption” on Wednesday outside the Nassau County Courthouse.

Aloise called recent reports “concerning,” referencing thousand-dollar dinners charged to the hospital, allegations of Ryan funneling $3.5 million in improper payouts to herself and 12 other employees, and an mysterious break-in at former NUMC chairman Matthew Bruderman’s home.

“Since this came out, Nassau County legislators have called on the Nassau County District Attorney to fully investigate what has been happening at NUMC, and after almost four years in office, it is well past time for Anne Donnelly to put a stop to these blatant acts of public corruption in the county government,” Aloise told reporters. 

County Legislators echoed the calls for accountability, holding a press conference of their own in Mineola, calling for federal investigators to step in since the county won’t.

“NUMC exists to save lives – not bankroll lobster dinners and luxury perks for politically connected insiders,” Legislature Minority Leader Delia DeRiggi-Whitton said. “This pattern of abuse is a betrayal of public trust, and we are taking the next step to ensure full accountability.” 

Nassau County police have said they’re still investigating the break-in at Bruderman’s home, and have yet to announce any arrests or updates — but Bruderman previously said that some hospital-related documents that went missing were recovered by police from an unidentified couple before his firing. 

When asked for comment, Donnelly said she opened an investigation into NUMC’s previous management in June, which her office said remains active. 

But Aloise said she believes that investigation only exists on paper, and told The Post she doesn’t believe any resources are actually being allocated into that case — pointing to thousands of dollars in political donations from Ryan to Donnelly.

“She either isn’t being truthful about an active investigation or she’s demonstrating just how unfit she is for the job by taking money from someone her office is supposed to be investigating,” Aloise said.

Campaign finance records show that Ryan donated to Donnelly’s campaign in 2023, two years before the DA’s office opened its investigation into NUMC.

Ryan, who was officially terminated “for cause” in May, has denied any wrongdoing and is suing the hospital over her dismissal, calling the accusations against her a “political hit job” 

“Any suggestion that she did anything improper or was reimbursed inappropriately is just another effort to distract from the State’s Medicaid corruption, now under investigation by Congress, the millions in illegal no-bid contracts approved by Hochul’s new appointees and NHCC’s violation of Ms. Ryan’s employment contract,” Ryan’s spokesperson, Tom Basile said.

NUMC, Nassau’s only safety-net hospital, remains more than $1 billion in debt and is currently under audit by the global accounting firm Deloitte, which Ryan’s team accused of being awarded an illegal no-bid contract by the hospital’s new leadership, after state lawmakers restructured the hospital’s board earlier this year.