Rep. Anthony D’Esposito (R-NY) is reportedly in potential violation of House ethics rules for hiring both his fiancée’s daughter and his mistress in his congressional office as part-time employees. The New York Times reports that shortly after taking office, D’Esposito hired his longtime fiancée’s daughter to work as a special assistant in his district office, increasing her salary to $3,800 a month. In April, he added another close associate, a woman with whom he was having an affair, as a part-time employee in the same office for a salary of $2,000 a month. Both positions ended abruptly in July 2023, coinciding with D’Esposito’s fiancée learning about his affair with the second woman.
The House official code of conduct prohibits members of Congress from hiring family members, including stepchildren. However, because D’Esposito and his fiancée never married, his hiring of her daughter might not officially violate the rules. The code also prohibits any member of Congress from engaging in a sexual relationship with an employee. The affair raises concerns about whether either position was a no-show or low-show job, potentially exposing D’Esposito to additional scrutiny by the House and law enforcement officials.
D’Esposito dismissed the reports as “slimy, partisan ‘hit piece'” designed to distract from his work representing New York’s 4th district. He stated that his personal life has never interfered with his ability to deliver results for his constituents and uphold the highest ethical standards of personal conduct.
Despite his dismissal, experts say the circumstances could prompt an investigation into whether either position had broken a ban on no-show or low-show jobs, potentially exposing D’Esposito to additional scrutiny by the House and law enforcement officials.