Gavilla-Berland Fight Rages On

The 2019 election was over just about two weeks ago but the partisan battles are raging on.

Half Hollow Hills Patch published dueling letters Monday, one hour apart, from Suffolk County Democratic Committee Chair Rich Schaffer criticizing the conduct of Republican Hector Gavilla, who ran against Suffolk County Legislator Susan Berland, who won the Nov. 5 election. 

Schaffer’s letter praised Berland before criticizing Gavilla, accusing him of charging after Berland at a candidates night forum. He also wrote that Gavilla continues to text Berland, calling her and her husband names. 

Gavilla, for his part, disputes Schaffer’s letter, calls it libelous, and continued his accusation that Berland’s husband assaulted him at he forum. He also says that Schaffer is upset that he, a Latino Republican, nearly won the election.

The Suffolk Board of Elections, in unofficial results, gave Berland 53.89 percent of the vote with Gavilla getting 46.08 percent.

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