Since Anne Donnelly assumed her role in 2022, approximately 90 prosecutors have departed from the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office. Her political opponent has also stepped down, citing a “dictator” atmosphere.
Democratic candidate Nicole Aloise criticized Donnelly during a gathering outside the Mineola courthouse on Friday. “I genuinely thought I’d be with the Nassau DA’s office for my entire career,” she said, having left in 2023.
Aloise accused Donnelly of promoting a toxic work environment, claiming that under Donnelly’s leadership, the focus shifted from justice to personal agenda.
Donnelly’s team responded, labeling Aloise and other former assistant district attorneys as “ethically challenged, soft crime prosecutors.”
Aloise mentioned that, like many others, she felt pressured to resign due to the internal cultural changes brought about by Donnelly.
Several former prosecutors echoed her sentiments, describing an atmosphere marked by collaboration breakdowns and politically driven prosecution strategies. One anonymous ex-prosecutor remarked, “You can treat us poorly or pay us poorly. But you can’t do both—Donnelly did.”
Aloise pointed to significant crime statistics from Donnelly’s first two years, noting that 44% of major crimes occurred during that time, while also highlighting the lowest felony conviction rates since 2014.
Although county officials recently announced a 25% drop in serious crimes early in 2025, Aloise insisted that these short-term gains don’t counterbalance the leadership turmoil and long-lasting negative impacts on the justice system.
Meanwhile, some local governments have criticized former President Joe Biden’s border policies, attributing crime increases to New York’s “soft crime” laws. They’ve also called out Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul’s administration.
On the defense, Donnelly’s office framed the departures as a necessary “purge,” indicating that it was a relief to see such prosecutors leave. DA spokesperson Mike Deely emphasized that Nassau is now recognized as one of the safest communities in America under Donnelly’s watch.
Deely further stated that Donnelly is concentrating on rebuilding her office with supportive prosecutors while restoring public confidence. He also mentioned that Aloise herself faced accusations of “unethical conduct, corruption, and abuse of power” tied to a complaint she filed in 2021 regarding misconduct when she was an assistant district attorney in Queens. This complaint was eventually dismissed.
Aloise’s team responded by asserting that if Donnelly truly believed there were unethical employees within the office, she would have terminated them rather than letting them resign. They pointed out discrepancies in crime statistics cited to label Nassau County as the nation’s safest.
