Ethics concerns were raised about U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito following a New York Times report alleging he had an affair with an employee and put his fiancée’s daughter on the payroll.

“The latest political tabloid garbage being peddled by ‘The New York Times’ is nothing more than a slimy, partisan ‘hit piece’ designed to distract Long Islanders from Democrats’ failing record on border security, the economy and foreign policy,” D’Esposito said in a statement. “My personal life has never interfered with my ability to deliver results for New York’s Fourth District, and I have upheld the highest ethical standards of personal conduct. Voters deserve better than the Times’ gutter politics.”

The New York Times reported that D’Esposito, a Republican representing Congressional District 4, gave part-time jobs to both his fiancée’s daughter and lover.

The article said that shortly after D’Esposito took the oath of office in 2022, he hired his fiancée’s daughter as a special assistant in his Garden City district office, for which she was paid $3,800 a month.

Then in April, the article reported that D’Esposito added Devin Faas to his payroll, who D’Esposito was allegedly having an affair with.

The two women’s employment resulted in a total payment of about $29,000.

The Times article said employment for both women ended when D’Esposito’s fiancée found out about his relationship and briefly broke up with him. If the report is accurate, D’Esposito would have violated House rules against nepotism.

“Federal law, at 5 U.S.C. § 3110, generally prohibits a federal official, including a Member of Congress, from appointing, promoting, or recommending for appointment or promotion any ‘relative’ of the official to any agency or department over which the official exercises authority or control,” stated on Ethics.House.gov.

The statute defines a relative as an individual who is related to a public official as father, mother, son, daughter, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, first cousin, nephew, niece, husband, wife, father-in-law, mother-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, stepfather, stepmother, stepson, stepdaughter, stepbrother, stepsister, half brother, or half-sister.

A separate provision adopted in the wake of the #MeToo movement states that lawmakers “may not engage in a sexual relationship with any employee of the House who works under the supervision of the member.”

“The experts said the circumstances could also prompt an investigation into whether either position had broken a ban on no-show or low-show jobs, potentially exposing Mr. D’Esposito, a former police detective, to additional scrutiny by the House and law enforcement officials,” the New York Times reported.

This report comes 41 days before election day, when D’Esposito will face Laura Gillen, the former Hempstead supervisor and Democratic nominee, in a highly watched race for the Congressional District 4 seat.

“These are very serious allegations that demand further investigation, and it’s clear that Anthony D’Esposito has abused his power in every position of trust he’s ever held,” Gillen said in a statement.

Gillen said that when she was Hempstead town supervisor from 2018 to 2020, she fought against corruption and nepotism to help all Nassau County families. She said she would bring that same common-sense, ethical leadership to Congress.

“Together, we can clean up the deep-seated corruption that clearly surrounds Anthony D’Esposito and restore transparency and accountability to New York’s Fourth Congressional District,” Gillen said.

Matt Capp, spokesperson for D’Espostio, said in the New York Times Article that he does not comment on personnel matters. Capp said D’Esposito remains focused on fighting for real issues that impact Long Islanders, like securing our borders and ending the affordability crisis.