FIGHTING EXECUTIVE OVERREACH
Mulé v. Nassau County
New York lawmakers are suing to dissolve the Nassau County Executive’s secretive, taxpayer-funded militia of armed civilians.
THE IMPACT
The lawsuit alleges an authoritarian power grab in the heart of suburban America which, if left unanswered, will serve as a model for the abuse of executive power at every level of government. If the lawmakers win, they will establish a key precedent which protects the rule of law and stops other executives from establishing their own militias.
THE CASE
In March 2024, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman and Sheriff Anthony LaRocco posted an announcement calling for private citizens who held gun licenses to apply to join a team of “Provisional Emergency Special Deputy Sheriffs for the protection of human life and property during an emergency.” Under the program, when Blakeman declares an emergency, these civilians would “be activated,” and would carry guns and perform other police functions on behalf of the County.
The lawsuit alleges that County Executive Blakeman’s program is illegal under New York law and a waste of public resources.
The plaintiffs in the case are Nassau County Legislators Debra Mulé and Scott Davis. The plaintiffs are asking the court to disband the militia and stop all public spending on it; to declare it illegal; and to compel the County Executive’s administration to reveal who is being recruited, the scope of their training, the specific weapons they will carry, and the total taxpayer cost of the program.
THE TEAM
The plaintiffs are represented by Free + Fair and Kelner & Kelner.
CASE DOCUMENTS
Featured Press
Carey Dunne, a public interest lawyer representing the plaintiffs, called the civilian force “an authoritarian power grab in the heart of suburban America, where a handpicked group of armed vigilantes operates secretly at the beck and call of an unchecked executive.”
THE NEW YORK TIMES February 5, 2025
