AOC endorses candidate challenging DCCC chair Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney in the Democratic primary for New York's 17th Congressional District



Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York has endorsed state Sen. Alessandra Biaggi, a candidate challenging Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.) in the Democratic primary in the state's 17th Congressional District — Maloney is the chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

"I'm running for Congress to challenge inaction and political cowardice. New Yorkers deserve fierce champions in Washington, and that’s why I’m so proud to receive the endorsement of one of the bravest fighters I know: @AOC," Biaggi tweeted.

\u201cI\u2019m running for Congress to challenge inaction and political cowardice. New Yorkers deserve fierce champions in Washington, and that\u2019s why I\u2019m so proud to receive the endorsement of one of the bravest fighters I know: @AOC.\u201d
— Alessandra Biaggi (@Alessandra Biaggi) 1654619322

"I respect Rep. Ocasio-Cortez and have worked with her on a number of policy matters, including as a co-sponsor of the Green New Deal. But, on her endorsement, we are going to have to agree to disagree," Maloney said in a statement, according to reports. "This election comes down to voters in NY-17, and I am honored to have received overwhelming support locally, including endorsements from nearly 40 elected leaders and Democratic Party committees."

Ocasio-Cortez had previously criticized Maloney's plan to run in the Empire State's new 17th District, a move that would have pitted Maloney directly against fellow New York Democratic Rep. Mondaire Jones, though Jones ultimately opted to seek election in another district. The New York Times noted that while Maloney resides in the state's new 17th District, that region is largely represented by Jones.

"Given the resources that he has at his helm, it creates a conflict of interest," Ocasio-Cortez said last month, according to Politico — the congresswoman said that if Maloney opted to run in a primary against a fellow Democratic lawmaker, he should relinquish his DCCC responsibilities.

The outlet reported that Ocasio-Cortez described Maloney's behavior as "particularly shameful as a member of Democratic leadership, especially as the leadership of the DCCC, who asks all of us to make sacrifices in one way or another, who asks progressives to make sacrifices on their stances in order to preserve a majority."

Democrats are heading into the 2022 midterms with an unpopular president at the helm — President Joe Biden has been underwater on his job approval numbers in various polls for a long time. The election cycle also comes as Americans are getting soaked by soaring inflation, and gas prices have been skyrocketing.

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A top Democratic lawmaker's unusual spending habits — which included tens of thousands in travel expenses last year despite shutting down in-person campaign operations and urging constituents to stay home amid the pandemic — have prompted ethics concerns, the Washington Free Beacon reported Monday.

What are the details?

Democratic New York Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, who leads the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, spent nearly $29,000 on "ground transportation" and "automobile expenses" in the last nine months of 2020, according to financial records.

The exorbitant spending on travel included "nearly $20,000 in lease and insurance payments, more than $3,600 in collision repairs, nearly $2,200 in gas, more than $2,100 in rental car fees, and nearly $500 for a satellite radio subscription," the Free Beacon reported.

Curiously, Maloney appeared to have halted at least some in-person campaign efforts in March 2020 while urging residents to "stay home" and do their part to "stop spreading this virus."

"Stay at home. Don't go out if you don't need to, minimize your contact with other people," the lawmaker said during a radio interview. "If a member of your family is sick, the whole family's got to stay home so we don't go spread it."

What's more is that Maloney's spending far outweighed that of fellow Democratic Rep. Antonio Delgado, who didn't disclose any car-related expenditures last year despite his congressional district being nearly six times the size of Maloney's neighboring district, the Free Beacon noted. Delgado also reportedly transitioned to virtual events during the pandemic.

U.S. campaign finance laws prevent candidates from using donor funds to pay for personal travel.

What else?

In response to the news, some ethics experts have weighed in with concerns.

Kendra Arnold, executive director of the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust, told the Free Beacon that Maloney's expenditures raised "red flags" and that the congressman "has a duty to explain" the payments.

"Candidates don't have to link [disbursements] to a specific corresponding event," Arnold noted. "We generally look for spending that isn't in the realm of a candidate in the same state or in a similar-sized district."

Anything else?

This is reportedly not the first time that Maloney has been the subject of complaints over alleged ethics violations.

While simultaneously running for New York attorney general and House re-election in 2018, Maloney funneled $1.4 million from his federal re-election campaign to fund his state AG run, prompting a lawsuit and ethics complaints from another progressive candidate.

The congressman also made headlines in 2020 when he called religious liberty a "bogus term" used only to discriminate against LGBTQ people.

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