Today, Politico’s New York Playbook revealed that congressional candidate Alison Esposito used campaign funds to pay for a parking garage near her apartment in Manhattan—which is a violation of campaign finance laws. Politico also revealed that this isn’t the first time Esposito has used campaign payments for her own personal use.
“Alison Esposito’s blatant abuse of campaign funds is not only a slap in the face of donors––it also violates federal campaign finance laws,” said End Citizens United President Tiffany Muller. “Using donors’ hard-earned money to subsidize her parking expenses at her Manhattan residence raises serious ethical concerns. This isn’t just a slip-up; it’s been going on for years, indicating a calculated move to use campaign funds as a personal bank.”
Politico New York Playbook: A bill one lawmaker hoped wouldn’t be necessary
Jeff Coltin
05/08/24
AT LEAST IT WASN’T PLACARD ABUSE: Hudson Valley congressional candidate Alison Esposito is going to pay for her own parking in Manhattan after Playbook flagged some potentially illegal campaign payments.
The Republican’s campaign recorded two $529 monthly payments this year to the Icon Parking garage near her Upper East Side apartment.
That would seem to violate Federal Election Commission rules prohibiting the personal use of campaign funds.
“The campaign card was mistakenly charged,” Esposito campaign manager Ben Weiner said in a statement to Playbook. “As soon as we became aware, the situation was immediately rectified, and the charges were reversed.”
Esposito only registered to vote in NY-18 last year, and while her campaign said she was born and raised in Orange County and has long had a second home there, her Democratic opponent has tagged her as a Manhattanite.
“The FEC is going to have a field day with Upper East Side Alison,” a spokesperson for Rep. Pat Ryan’s campaign said in a statement. “We can all agree that welcoming NYC tourists to the Hudson Valley is great for our economy, but they shouldn’t be running to represent us in Congress; and they sure as hell shouldn’t be expensing $529 a month for their NYC parking spot.”
Esposito’s campaign committee for her 2022 lieutenant governor run also made four similar payments to the Upper East Side garage.
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