News · Press Release · The Case Against

The Case Against Anthony D’Esposito 

“Laura knows what matters to this district, and has proven she can work with anyone – Democrat or Republican – to get the job done on Long Island. Anthony D’Esposito is a dangerous MAGA Republican, and his anti-worker values don’t represent this district. He and his party’s extreme agenda would seriously threaten Long Island’s families, and voters can’t afford to take that risk,” said DCCC Chairman Sean Patrick Maloney. 

To: Interested Parties
From: Nebeyatt Betre
Date: August 23, 2022

Subject: The Case Against Anthony D’Esposito

Voters in New York’s 4th Congressional District have a clear choice ahead of them in November. As an effective and bipartisan leader in Hempstead, Laura Gillen has been an independent voice for the community, and has built the type of profile and experience Democrats need to keep this Long Island district blue. Her opponent Anthony D’Esposito is a steadfast MAGA Republican who abused taxpayer dollars for his own political ambitions, and threatens women and families with his anti-choice beliefs.

As voters face unprecedented challenges, they need a representative like Laura who puts service over party and who can head into Congress knowing how to tackle the fights that matter most head on. She’s been a leader in fighting to lower the cost of living and lowering taxes on middle class families. She’s been laser focused on the needs of her community and has a proven track record of working with Republicans and Democrats to get results. As Hempstead supervisor, she consistently found ways to reduce costs for taxpayers and lowered taxes every year she was in office. In Congress, she will bring the same commonsense, popular fiscal approach to Washington and revitalize the middle class by protecting workers’ rights and address the housing crisis squeezing so many off of Long Island.

Anthony D’Esposito  is a self-serving, anti-choice MAGA Republican who has a record of shamefully abusing taxpayer dollars, and looking out for his campaign donors who ripped off Hempstead taxpayers. When compared to Laura’s strong and bipartisan record, Democrats have a strong chance of holding this likely Democratic seat. 

PATTERN OF ABUSE 

The last thing New Yorkers need is yet another scandal-ridden politician representing them. Anthony D’Esposito has a rampant pattern of abuse, both during his time in law enforcement and on the town council. As an officer, D’Esposito was alleged to have knowingly lied to a district attorney and grand jury, was accused of falsely arresting plaintiffs into custody without probable cause, and cost taxpayers $45,000 in a settlement due to his actions.

As a town councilman, Anthony D’Esposito put friends and family on payroll and gave them raises, even voting to give his mother a raise. The state Supreme Court ruled that D’Esposito broke the law to give favors to relatives.

When Laura Gillen took over as Hempstead supervisor, families were paying more in taxes and getting less in services because of decades of the kind of mismanagement, nepotism, and corruption D’Esposito engaged in. Gillen got things back on track, stopping raises for political appointees, rooting out corrupt contracts, and saving taxpayers over $14 million dollars. In Congress, she’ll continue her fight for taxpayers and a government that works for its people, not themselves.

ANTI-CHOICE STANCE TOO RADICAL FOR DISTRICT

Unlike the vast majority of New Yorkers, D’Esposito praised the Supreme Court for overturning Roe V. Wade. A clear sign he’s too radical for this district, Anthony D’Esposito supports allowing states to ban abortion without exceptions for rape, incest, or even if the woman’s life is in danger. He will work hand in hand with extreme Washington Republicans to pass laws allowing women and doctors to be put in jail for having or performing abortions. Their efforts threaten women across the country, including on Long Island.

Laura Gillen will relentlessly fight to protect American families from this extreme governmental invasion into their personal lives. She understands, unlike D’Esposito, that women must have autonomy over their health care decisions. As a mother of four, she knows just how critical it is that women, not politicians, decide how and when they start a family. In Congress, Gillen will ensure that women have access to the care they need – and will work to block Republican attempts to ban abortion and strip women of their freedoms.

BAD FOR WORKERS

Anthony D’Esposito says he will stand up for taxpayers and fight rising costs, but his record says otherwise. D’Esposito opposed Laura Gillen’s plan to have the Town of Hempstead seek competitive bids for professional services costing more than $20,000.  D’Esposito voted against a resolution to create an inspector general to monitor waste, corruption and fraud in the Hempstead Town government. When Laura Gillen stood up to D’Esposito’s major donor Butch Yamali for ripping off Hempstead taxpayers by not paying over $500,000 in rent to the Town, D’Esposito sided with his delinquent benefactor. He’s lied about his record, and now he’s lying about Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Act. It’s clear he’ll succumb easily to partisan pressure and stand in the way of good legislation that eases the burden of rising costs on middle class families for his own political interests.

Laura Gillen understands how hard it is for families struggling with the rising cost of gas, groceries, and utilities. She will work with both parties to control government spending that’s driving up prices and will invest in fixing the broken supply chains to bring critical manufacturing back home, so we make more things in America. She’s also committed to taking aim at the price gouging hurting Americans – like oil companies taking advantage of the gas crisis and seeking to boost their record profits even more.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING

Long Island Herald: Rockville Centre’s Laura Gillen discusses her run for Congress  | [Long Island Herald, 3/3/22]

As supervisor, Gillen grappled with Republicans who held the majority on the Town Board, but still notched a number of accomplishments. She passed transparency legislation requiring all town contracts, budgets and other audited financial records to be scanned and made available online. She dedicated more than $59 million in her capital plan to fixing roads, introduced new information-technology infrastructure to bring Town Hall into the digital age and refinanced the town’s debt. She said she was also proud of having passed ethics legislation and having acquired benefits for veterans.

Newsday: LI candidates for U.S. House raise $6M in 1st quarter | [Newday, 4/19/22]

The Island 360: Rice endorses former Hempstead Supervisor Gillen to fill her seat in Congress | [LongIsland.com, 3/21/22]

Long Island Herald: Guns, bail reform, dominate congressional race | [Long Island Herald, 8/8/22]

While expectations are high that Republicans will take over Congress after the midterms, Gillen says she believes she can still be effective as a Democrat — especially as someone who has worked closely with Republicans in the past to get things done.

“That’s what we need in Washington,” she said. “Not political hacks, and not people who have allegiances and who are beholden to political party bosses.”

PATH TO VICTORY

New York’s 4th Congressional District is a diverse, highly educated district in the new configuration and remains highly supportive of Democrats. The 2020 congressional candidate carried this district by 19.4 points and President Biden enjoyed a 14.6% margin of victory. The make up of this district clearly favors Democrats, and election forecasters predict this seat will stay in Democratic hands.

###





Please make sure that the form field below is filled out correctly before submitting.