First-term Long Island Republican Rep. Anthony D’Esposito and Democratic rival Laura Gillen slammed each other’s records in a spirited debate Tuesday — dueling over ethics, taxes, the border-migrant crisis, abortion, and whether transgender athletes should compete in women’s sports.
Esposito, a retired NYPD detective who is seeking re-election to a second term in the 4th House district that runs from the island’s south shore through central Nassau County, was immediately put on the defensive during the News 12 debate about hiring an alleged mistress.
The moderator asked the incumbent about a recent report in the New York Times that he had an affair with Devin Fass at the same time he paid her to work part time in his Garden City congressional office.
The congressman hasn’t denied the affair occurred, but maintains he didn’t violate House ethics rules by employing Fass.
“My hiring practices were done above board and there were zero ethics violated in any of my decisions,” he said.
A post-“Me Too” era rules change prohibits members of congress from having sexual relationships with subordinates.
D’Esposito sought to turn the tables on Gillen, the former Hempstead Town supervisor, pointing to a Post report that showed Gillen received $21,500 in campaign donations from Scott Rexler and associates from his RXR firm before and after he landed a $1.5 billion contract to develop the Nassau Coliseum hub.
“The contract was given out by the Republican-controlled Nassau County legislature. That contract never came before us and we never voted on it,” Gillen said.
“This is smoke and mirrors to try to respond to the serious, credible proven allegations reported in the NY Times about his historic corruption and handing out favors to friends and family — including his mistress in his congressional office.”
D’Esposito also delivered zingers, ripping Gillen’s record as Hempstead Town supervisor. She was defeated when she sought re-election in 2019, and had poor relations with union leaders representing the workforce, who have endorsed the GOP incumbent.
“She was the town of Hempstead supervisor for two years before she was rejected by voters …In the first few days, actually had a coalition of Republicans and a Democrat who wanted to work with her,” D’Esposito said.
“In a matter of weeks, she sued our only labor union and she absolutely destroyed the relationships and that coalition. She doesn’t work well with anyone.”
“It is hard work. It’s not about your ego, Laura. It’s not just about winning an election. It’s about actually doing work for the American people.”
They butted heads over taxes, when they were asked about restoring the full federal tax deduction on state and local taxes, or SALT, a big issue with suburban homeowners grappling with high property taxes.
Again, D’Esposito pointed to Gillen’s record as the Hempstead Town supervisor.
“She had an opportunity to vote for a bipartisan tax cut and she proudly voted no,” the congressman said.
Gillen shot back that D’Esposito “failed” to deliver on restoring the SALT deduction.
D’Esposito then went on the offensive about the border-migrant crisis, with a record number of crossings occurring under a Democratic administration.
“My opponent and Democrats throughout the country told us that the border was secure and they said that the economy was booming. All of a sudden Kamala Harris becomes the nominee and now they want to secure the border and they want to fix the economy. They’re lying to everyone,” he said, citing a tough border enforcement bill that passed the Republican-led House of Representatives.
Gillen blasted the House GOP bill as “hyper partisan” that had “zero chance” of ever becoming law.
She said Republicans walked away from a “bipartisan” compromise bill hatched in the Senate, so they could have a “talking point” during the election campaign.
They were on different sides when asked whether they would support a federal ban on transgender athletes competing in women’s sports, replicating a law approved in Nassau County.
D’Esposito backed a national prohibition.
Gillen opposed a ban, saying she would defer to local sports authorities to handle the matter.
Gilllen said D’Esposito and the Republicans can’t be trusted on abortion rights after the conservative Supreme Court outlawed a national right to terminate a pregnancy, sending the issue to the states.
“It’s not a state’s right, it’s a human right….When it comes to reproductive freedom, I’m the candidate you can trust,” she said.
D’Esposito said he would “never, ever” support a federal law banning abortion and claimed he’s been a “champion of women’s rights” in Congress.