REPORT: Laura Gillen’s “History” of Paying Political Allies & Friends

Hi all –

A new report reveals Laura Gillen has a “history of hiring family friends or their business partners” in both her official – taxpayer-funded – office and her congressional campaign.

To mention a few, Gillen has employed the sister-in-law of a sitting congresswoman, kids of local Democratic Party operatives, former staff of disgraced Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and a failed Democratic Party perennial candidate who recently hosted a fundraiser for her.

On top of that, Gillen even paid her husband’s business partners for services like “video production” and “video editing,” in multiple election cycles.

“Who Laura Gillen chooses to work for her tells you exactly her motive for being in office – putting her inner circle first, New York second,” said CLF Regional Press Secretary Maureen O’Toole.

Read the full report below… 

Exclusive: Top House Democratic candidate pays connected Democrats and her husband’s business partners
Washington Reporter
Matthew Foldi
https://washingtonreporter.news/editorial/exclusive-top-house-democratic-candidate-has-lengthy-history-of-cronyism/

New York Democrat Laura Gillen, freshman Rep. Anthony D’Esposito’s challenger in a tossup House district this November, has a history of hiring family friends or their business partners in her official office and on her congressional campaigns, campaign finance and local government records reviewed by the Washington Reporter reveal. 

Previously during Gillen’s tenure as Hempstead Town Supervisor, she staffed her office with many locally-connected Democrats, including Cheryl Rice, the sister-in-law of former Rep. Kathleen Rice (D., N.Y.). Cheryl, who previously served as district director while her sister-in-law was a Congresswoman, also donated to Gillen’s failed 2022 campaign against D’Esposito. 

“Laura Gillen is the epitome of cronyism,” Savannah Viar, a spokeswoman for the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) told the Reporter. “The Democrat machine she has installed around her is akin to the worst of Albany and New York City politics.”

Gillen’s official staff also included Adam Haber, a failed Democratic Party perennial candidate for state Senate and county executive, who worked as executive assistant to the supervisor; he recently hosted a fundraiser for Gillen’s congressional campaign.

Other Gillen staffers included alumni of scandal-plagued Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s (D., N.Y.) office, the children of local Democratic Party operatives, former spokespeople for local Democratic Parties, and more.

Gillen has also paid thousands of dollars directly to her husband’s business partners for services like “video production” and “video editing,” in multiple election cycles, according to Federal Election Commission records. Her husband does have a production company, which does not appear to have received direct payments from her campaign.