News 12 Long Island has learned about allegations that the Suffolk district attorney tried to block an investigation of a political party leader who was eventually indicted.

Federal prosecutors say DA Thomas Spota repeatedly brushed off attempts to investigate whether Suffolk Conservative Party leader Ed Walsh was lying about his time sheets as a lieutenant in the Sheriff's Department.

Walsh heads Suffolk's powerful Conservative Party. He recently retired as a lieutenant with the Suffolk Sheriff's Office.

Walsh is accused of falsifying his timesheets and collecting thousands of dollars for work he allegedly didn't do. Spota, who has been cross-endorsed and re-elected multiple times, is now accused by federal prosecutors of thwarting efforts by Walsh's boss, Sheriff Vincent DeMarco, to have Walsh investigated. County Legislator Kate Browning says she's disturbed at the allegations.

"I think we have to let the U.S. attorney's office do (its) job and once all the information is presented to us then that's the appropriate time for the legislature to act," she says.

Walsh will go on trial next week on charges that he collected $80,000 for time he did not work.

Walsh's attorney, William Wexler, says if DeMarco suspected that his client wasn't performing his job properly than it was up to him, not Spota, to do something about it.

According to the federal government, Spota's failure to investigate allowed the defendant "to feel comfortable continuing to break the law because Spota was going to protect him."

Spota's office responded by saying the alleged protection of Walsh by Mr. Spota was "inaccurate and misleading."