Laura Incalcaterra

lincalca@lohud.com

One of Rockland's best-known Republican elected officials is in the spotlight after resigning from a local party committee on the grounds that he's "had enough."

But Bob Axelrod, chairman of the Clarkstown Republican Committee, said County Legislator Frank Sparaco faced a "disloyalty" charge that could have resulted in his expulsion from the committee.

"He gave us no choice," Axelrod said.

Sparaco resigned from the committee just hours before he was going to face the charge, Axelrod said.

Sparaco said the charge had nothing to do with why he quit.

"This is inter-political disagreement, party nonsense that I don't want to be a part of anymore," Sparaco said.

Sparaco was a confirmed guest at a fundraiser being thrown by Democratic County Legislator Barry Kantrowitz.

Kantrowitz was appointed to fill a one-year term after Republican Ed Day left the Legislature to become Rockland's county executive.

A second year remains in that unexpired term, and Kantrowitz is seeking election to the seat. He'll face Republican Lon Hofstein, nominated by Day last week and unanimously chosen by Clarkstown Republicans to run.

Hofstein, 57, owns an accounting firm in Manhattan, Hofstein and Associates, and is the 11-year president of New City Little League. He is married and has a family.

Axelrod said Sparaco was backing a Democrat while Republicans were running their own candidate.

"This wasn't just a fundraiser," Axelrod said. "It was a kickoff campaign fundraiser. We have a candidate for that seat."

The Rockland Legislature has five Republicans and 12 Democrats, and Axelrod said it was important for Republicans to capture a sixth seat so they could create a "super minority." If the county executive vetoes legislation or annual budgets, it would take 12 votes, or a supermajority, to override those vetoes. A super minority would mean Democrats would have only 11 votes.

"It's very important that (Day's) seat be won by us," Axelrod said. "It adds to the system of checks and balances. If we only have five votes, (Democrats) basically can put through anything they want."

Sparaco said he won't support Kantrowitz or Hofstein.

"I'm done supporting people because the committee tells me to," he said.

He blasted Axelrod and said he's been a lousy chairman, unable to get Republicans elected or to raise money for candidates.

"The guy should do the whole Republican Party a favor and quit the committee and go back to the Democratic Party where he came from," Sparaco said.

Sparaco said he's been nothing but loyal to the party, helping many GOP candidates by spending hours collecting petition signatures, raising money and going door to door to meet voters.

Sparaco said he wasn't worried about being removed because the county Republican Committee would have to sign off on the move and he had support among the members. He also said he could carry petitions and get elected back on the committee.

From now on, he said, he plans to "be like" former Rockland County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef.

"Scott Vanderhoef was a 20-year incumbent," Sparaco said. "He never once joined the committee or got involved in inter-political nonsense."

Sparaco's would have been the fourth such disloyalty hearing by Clarkstown Republicans since 2011. Most recently, a New City woman who blogs and comments on political issues, Jeanine Vecchiarelli, appeared before the committee after she was accused of disloyalty for "attacking" a GOP candidate in March. The outcome of her situation has not yet been determined, Axelrod said, as the process for review, recommendations and a decision is still under way.

Twitter: @LauraInc15