The Lie:
County Executive Bruce Blakeman has been taking pot-shots and trying to blame NYS Governor Kathy Hochul for the problems at the Nassau University Medical Center (NUMC) since early 2024.
Why You May Believe the Lie:
- In 2025, the Blakeman-installed leadership at NUMC launched a media campaign that included mailers, TV commercials, and social media posts, portraying their performance positively, suggesting that Blakeman’s hand-picked team were doing a great job.
- Despite warnings from their attorneys that there was no viable “path to victory,” Blakeman’s team filed a lawsuit against the State and the Nassau Interim Finance Authority (NIFA) seeking $1.06 billion, accusing the State of “systemic theft.”
The Truth:
- Under Blakeman’s watch, NUMC had ignored the State’s requirement to hire qualified professional hospital administrators and create a plan to reduce budget deficits, a prerequisite to secure $83 million in emergency funds.
- Frustrated with Blakeman’s mismanagement, Albany passed legislation in spring 2025 giving Governor Hochul control of NUMC. In January 2026, with the hospital under new leadership, Hochul announced over $100 million in state funding to stabilize its finances.
- As of June 2026, NYS Attorney General Letitia James is investigating Meg Ryan for alleged misuse of hospital funds for dinners, travel and other payments. Ryan is the controversial NUMC President, who Blakeman supported but lacked hospital management experience (and was later removed).
- In August 2025, NUMC dropped their lawsuit once it came to light that NUMC had previously agreed to the terms they were contesting.
Action You Can Take:
- Share this post on your social media and email and discuss it with your friends.
Source & Additional Media:
- Newsday: Ferrette, C. (2025/02/08), “New NUMC ad blitz asserts closure. Will that actually happen?”
- NUMC: Press Release (2025/01/10), “Appeals Court Unanimously Sides with NUMC, Delivering Another Blow to NIFA’s Continued Attacks on Nassau County’s Only Safety-Net Hospital”
- NUMC: Press Release (2024/04/26), “It’s time for Newsday to get serious”
- Newsday: Ostadan, B. and Ferrette, C. (2025/01/14), “NIFA approves legal contracts for NUMC’s $1B suit against NY”
- Newsday: Ferrette, C. (2024/03/06), “Matthew Bruderman rejects demands for new leadership at NUMC”
- Long Island Herald: Willson, M. (2023/03/31), “Blakeman: No ‘state takeover’ of Nassau County medical center”.
- ABC7NY, “Fate of Nassau University Medical Center hangs in balance amid renewed calls for new leadership” By Chantee Lans, March 4, 2024“
- Newsday, “NYS Legislature approves restructuring of NUMC board of trustees” Yancey Roy, May 7, 2025
- Newsday, Daily Point, Aug.,14, 2025, by Randi F. Marshall : “Possible investigations for former NUMC executive”
- Legal documents showing that NUMC agreed to the arrangement they were complaining about: 621358_2024_Nassau_University_Medi_v_Nassau_University_Medi_AFFIDAVIT_OR_AFFIRM_97.pdf 621358_2024_Nassau_University_Medi_v_Nassau_University_Medi_EXHIBIT_S__98.pdf 621358_2024_Nassau_University_Medi_v_Nassau_University_Medi_EXHIBIT_S__99.pdf
- NY Post, “Hochul crows about $109M for Nassau University Medical Center — but critics gripe it belonged to hospital already” by Brandon Cruz, January 18, 2026.
- Newsday, “NYS AG’s office investigating Nassau University Medical Center’s former leadership,” By Peter D’Auria and Candice Ferrette, June 3, 2026
