A new report in POLITICO reveals that Nick LaLota joined a for-profit New York oncology group just days after receiving thousands of dollars in campaign contributions.
In late September, the vulnerable New York congressman praised the practice’s “upbeat spirit” and “morale.”
Within days, LaLota’s campaign received $18,000 from the group’s affiliated physicians and a related PAC — bringing LaLota’s total received to “at least $100,000” from an organization that “has for years been a boon” to New York House Republicans.
The report also chronicles the repeatedly scrutinized political activity of New York Cancer & Blood Specialists. The group and its leaders have come under fire before after contributing $50,000 to disgraced fraudster George Santos and contributing $60,000 through a PAC to Lee Zeldin’s gubernatorial campaign — reportedly “in violation of campaign-finance rules.”
Last May, Nick LaLota introduced a leading oncologist from the group to his House Small Business Committee to testify on “regulatory burdens.” LaLota began receiving individual contributions from the group’s executives shortly after.
A spokesperson for the watchdog group End Citizens United called the scandal “the very definition of pay-to-play politics,” explaining that “the timing of these contributions reeks of corrupt backroom deals, with money flowing to Rep. LaLota before and after key events.”
DCCC Spokesperson Ellie Dougherty:
“Nick LaLota’s behavior reeks of pay-to-play politics, plain and simple. It’s disappointing but hardly surprising from a vulnerable congressman who’s shown time and again that filling his own coffers always comes before the interests of Suffolk County families.”
A New York House Republican facing a tough reelection fight starred last month in a slick promotional video for a cancer treatment practice around the same time he took in a generous batch of campaign donations from its doctors.
Rep. Nick LaLota (R-N.Y.) praised the “upbeat spirit” at the New York Cancer & Blood Specialists in the two-minute spot posted within days of affiliated physicians and a related PAC contributing $18,000 to his reelection bid. They also gave $130,000 to House Speaker Mike Johnson’s Grow the Majority committee — half of which then went to LaLota, according to Federal Election Commission records reviewed by POLITICO.
LaLota began receiving individual contributions from the for-profit medical group’s executives in May after he introduced oncologist David Eagle to his House Small Business Committee so the doctor could testify about regulatory burdens.
Eagle — who also appears in the video promotion — was the first to give with $3,000. LaLota then received $43,000 from Eagle’s colleagues in June, about a week before New York Cancer & Blood Specialists’ chief executive Jeff Vacirca and Eagle got facetime with the House speaker alongside former Rep. Lee Zeldin. LaLota, a Long Island Republican who succeeded Zeldin in Congress, was not at the meeting and said he did not facilitate it.
“This arrangement is the very definition of pay-to-play politics,” said Bawadden Sayed, spokesperson for the watchdog group End Citizens United. “The timing of these contributions reeks of corrupt backroom deals, with money flowing to Rep. LaLota before and after key events.”
End Citizens United endorses Democrats for elected office but has not backed LaLota’s rival, John Avlon.
Vacirca, Eagle and New York Cancer & Blood Specialists did not return multiple requests for comment.
Across his two House campaigns, LaLota has benefited from at least $100,000 from New York Cancer & Blood Specialists associates and the Conquering Cancer PAC run by Vacirca and Eagle. The Long Island center treatment practice has for years been a boon to politicians, especially Zeldin and New York House Republicans.
LaLota is locked in a tight New York House race against Democrat Avlon on eastern Long Island, who a recent poll shows is within striking distance. Their face-off is one of six that could determine which party controls Congress next year.
New York Cancer & Blood Specialists’ political activity has come under scrutiny before. Vacirca contributed about $50,000 to fraudster Rep. George Santos, which the oncologist later said he regretted. Vacirca also gave $60,000 to the PAC that then donated to Zeldin’s gubernatorial campaign, violating campaign finance rules in the process.
Avlon, a former CNN host running to unseat LaLota, seized the opportunity to knock the incumbent.
“Pretending to be doing ‘advocacy’ while collecting over $100,000 in campaign contributions is dishonest and low even for a professional patronage politician,” the Democratic challenger said. “This is why people hate politics and distrust honest public servants.”
