Nassau County DA Anne Donnelly is kicking off her reelection bid Tuesday by heading to Albany to call for changes to the state’s “pro-criminal” discovery law.
Donnelly, a Republican, told The Post she’s running on her record of putting violent criminals behind bars and standing up for law-abiding residents.
Democrat Nicole Aloise will look to unseat her in November, another career prosecutor who spent 16 years working in both the Queens and Nassau district attorneys’ offices.
“As a prosecutor with over 32 years of experience, and as the District Attorney of one of the largest counties in the state, I’ve witnessed firsthand how Cashless Bail and Discovery Reform Laws have compromised public safety,” Donnelly, 60, said.
She is set to appear at a press conference in the state Capitol alongside state Senate Minority Leader Robert Ortt and members of the Senate GOP conference to urge the Democratic-run Legislature and Gov. Kathy Hochul to revise or repeal the controversial bail reform and discovery laws.
“Since the implementation of these laws, we’ve seen a revolving door of justice, where criminals walk free on technicalities while victims continue to suffer,” Donnelly said.
The discovery law — approved in 2019 — moved up deadlines for prosecutors to hand over evidence and the names of witnesses to the defendants’ attorneys.
The deadlines are unrealistic for prosecutors with large caseloads, Donnelly claims. And minor mistakes — often unrelated to the crime itself — have led to the dismissal of serious cases, allowing criminals to walk free, she said.
She supports limiting the amount of information turned over to the defense and shortening the time frame defense attorneys can challenge a prosecutor’s discovery certification.
“In some cases, we’ve been forced to hand over victims’ sensitive information—like a rape victim’s phone number—directly to their attacker,” she added.
Hochul herself has called for changes to the discovery law, coming at the urging of the state District Attorneys Association.
Donnelly was first elected DA in 2021, in a red wave upset over Democratic state Sen. Todd Kaminsky, who voted for the 2019 bail and discovery laws.
She has assisted in the notorious Gilgo Beach serial killer case and secured convictions in high-profile cases, including the attempted murder of Nassau County police officers.
“When I ran for District Attorney in 2021, I promised the people of Nassau County that I would always put their safety first—and I have delivered,” Donnelly said.
But, she said, “the fight is far from over.”
