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Long Island congressman under fire for hiring scandal
Long Island congressman Anthony D'Esposito is under fire. The Republican lawmaker is accused of giving part-time jobs to his fiancee's daughter and another woman he was involved with in 2023. FOX 5 NY's Jodi Goldberg has more on the allegations and how D'Esposito is responding.
LONG ISLAND - Congressman Anthony D’Esposito may have violated ethics rules designed to combat nepotism and corruption, according to a New York Times article that alleges the longtime Republican had his fiancée’s daughter on his payroll as well as a woman with whom he was having an affair.
D’Esposito, who has been representing parts of Long Island in the House since 2022, paid the women $29,000, according to the article that says payments stopped last summer, around the time his fiancée found out about his mistress.
WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 11: Rep. Anthony DEsposito (R-NY) speaks during a news conference to announce the formation of the bipartisan Aviation Safety Caucus on the anniversary of 9/11 terrorist attacks outside the U.S. Capitol on September 11, 202 …
While the House Ethics Committee isn’t commenting, the House Code of Conduct prohibits members of Congress from employing relatives, including stepchildren, and forbids members from engaging in sexual relationships with employees under their supervision.
Also in question, whether either position was a no-show or low-show job.
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D’Esposito in a statement calls the article "nothing more than a slimy, partisan ‘hit piece’" adding he has upheld the highest ethical standards of personal conduct.
Joe Cairo, who is Nassau’s GOP chairman didn’t go on camera but in a statement, says the article was "politically motivated."
Jay Jacobs, who is the chair of the New York State and Nassau Democratic committees, called D’Esposito Santos 2.0.
Democrat Laura Gillen, who is vying for the seat, says it's clear that D'Esposito has abused his power.
Political analyst Michael Dawidziak says if true, this is nothing new.
"When these kind of stories hit, they garner a lot of attention in the short run but in the end result they rarely have any effect on how people vote," he said.
D’Esposito’s race is among the most competitive in the country as it could determine which party controls congress.