Suffolk County Legislature Presiding Officer DuWayne Gregory on Tuesday likened Suffolk District Attorney Tim Sini and his allies to the "fictional 'Sopranos' crime family," and claimed the district attorney has it in for him.

"I won't allow this collection of wannabe gangsters...to tarnish what I have worked to build without a response," Gregory says.

Gregory's comments were made amid a special counsel investigation into allegations of nepotism and misconduct within the Suffolk County Police Department and DA's office, following the promotion of Salvatore Gigante, who is the nephew of Suffolk Police Chief of Detectives Gerard Gigante. A whistleblower informed Gregory, prompting the probe.

Last week, counsel to county attorney David Kelley, who also served as Sini's campaign manager, wrote a letter instructing the special counsel to "refrain from any further investigation," citing a simultaneous Department of Justice investigation into the matter. That investigation was confirmed Tuesday by Deputy County Executive Jon Kaiman.

Kaiman says the special counsel whistleblower investigation has concluded but the DOJ investigation is ongoing.

A spokesman for the DA's office issued a statement saying: "While Mr. Gregory's comments were inappropriate, untrue, and hateful towards Italian Americans, we remain focused on impartially serving the residents of Suffolk County and will not allow any politician to politicize law enforcement in our County."