WASHINGTON – Congressman Josh Riley (D, NY-19), a vocal critic of New York State Electric and Gas (NYSEG), is taking heat from his opponent in November’s election for accepting campaign contributions from the utility industry.
According to documents obtained by Mid-Hudson News, Riley’s campaign received $2,250 from employees of lobbying firms representing NYSEG, including $1,500 from a lobbyist directly representing its parent company, Avangrid. The funds do not appear to have been returned by Riley.
“More of the same from phony Josh Riley, who provides more evidence every single day that the people of the 19th Congressional District can neither trust nor afford him,” said Dain Pascocello, campaign manager for Republican Senator Peter Oberacker (51st District), who is running for Riley’s Congressional seat.
Earlier this week, Pascocello called Riley “a hypocrite” for investing in NYSEG while frequently bashing the utility company. Riley’s communications team has not returned several messages seeking comment about his investments in NYSEG or the campaign donations. Oberacker has received two contributions from the Avangrid New York PAC totaling $350 over the past four years, but Pascocello said those funds were returned.
Riley has repeatedly criticized NYSEG and Avangrid over high utility rates and the millions of dollars sent to their owner, the Spanish multinational Iberdrola. However, Riley owns a mutual fund that holds shares of Iberdrola. According to a financial disclosure report filed last year, Riley has between $100,000 and $250,000 invested in the Fidelity International Index Fund.
Two years ago, Riley attacked his opponent in the NY-19 Congressional race, Republican Marc Molinaro, for receiving campaign contributions from the utility industry and then “letting them jack up our rates.”
Just last month, Riley participated in a hearing of the Public Service Commission, where he cross-examined NYSEG executives and demanded answers about why the utility monopoly is asking residents to pay higher bills while sending millions in profit to its foreign parent company.
Under interrogation by Riley, NYSEG executives confirmed for the first time that they authorized a $450 million dividend to Iberdrola and were already preparing to request a rate increase of more than $500 million – effectively asking residents to foot the bill for their large corporate payout.