Christopher Walsh
08/03/23
(East Hampton Star) End Citizens United, which works to elect Democratic candidates and to combat the influence of money in politics, has filed a second complaint against Representative Nick LaLota of New York’s First Congressional District, this one alleging that he violated federal election law by failing to file complete financial disclosure reports.
In April, Tiffany Muller, the group’s president, charged that Mr. LaLota, his 2022 campaign for Congress, his campaign treasurer, and his 2020 State Senate campaign violated the Federal Election Campaign Act and Federal Election Commission regulations by making a direct contribution from his state committee to his federal committee, and “appears to have used his State Committee to pay the expenses of his federal campaign.”
The group asserts that the commission’s second-quarter reports indicate that Mr. LaLota has not returned the money to his state committee. Another New York congressman, Representative Marc Molinaro of the 19th District, did so shortly after End Citizens United filed a similar charge with the F.E.C.
On June 26, Amanda Bogden of End Citizens United filed a complaint against Mr. LaLota with the Office of Congressional Ethics. She asserted that the congressman is in violation of the Ethics in Government Act “by failing to file complete financial disclosure reports as required by law.” The independent Office of Congressional Ethics reviews allegations of misconduct against members of the House of Representatives and their staff, and refers them, as appropriate, to the House Committee on Ethics.