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New York Post
2 days ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Ex-Suffolk Exec Halpin to take on ‘Sleepy Drew' Rep. Garbarino — who snoozed through vote on OBBB
Ex-Suffolk County Executive Pat Halpin is jumping back into the political ring to take on 'Sleepy Drew'' Rep. Andrew Garbarino, who famously dozed through a vote on President Trump's Big Beautiful Bill. Halpin, a Democrat, launched his 2026 campaign Monday in Babylon, blasting the Republican incumbent for 'falling asleep on Long Island families' — after sleeping through and missing the first House vote tied to the key sweeping White House legislation. 'Our Congressman, Andrew Garbarino, is asleep at the wheel — literally,' Halpin said. Advertisement 3 Ex-Suffolk County Executive Pat Halpin is making a political comeback to take on Rep. Andrew Garbarino. CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images 'He's been caught snoozing while voting to gut hospitals, slash food assistance and hand billionaires more tax breaks — all while Long Island families can't keep up with rent, childcare or medical bills.' Halpin, who once led Suffolk as the county's youngest ever top elected official, cast himself as a workhorse ready to 'get things done' while citing his extensive political resume. Advertisement Halpin served as county exec from from 1988 to 1991, during which time he launched the Long Island Housing Partnership, expanded community policing and domestic-violence programs, introduced drug prevention in schools and led one of the nation's top land preservation efforts, his campaign said. 'I know every corner of this district — full of good, hard-working folks,' Halpin said. 'I'll be your go-to congressman no matter if you're a Democrat, Republican, independent, short, tall, young or old.' 'You got a problem; I'll work to find a solution. Whether that's fixing a pothole or protecting Medicaid, I will find a way to help.' Advertisement 3 The Long Island Democrat officially launched his campaign Monday, calling out Garbarino for 'falling asleep on Long Island families.' Suffolk County Water Authority Garbarino has meanwhile carved out a reputation as a moderate in his party, breaking ranks to support the congressional January 6 commission, codify same-sex marriage and help pass former President Joe Biden's bipartisan infrastructure and cybersecurity bills. He slept through the first House vote on his party's linchpin One Big Beautiful Bill — delivering a major nail-biter at the time for Republicans, who ended up passing the legislation by just one vote without him. The Senate then revised the House bill and sent it back to the lower chamber for another vote — and Garbarino managed to stay awake to help pass that one. Advertisement He currently chairs the House subcommittee on cybersecurity, has introduced legislation to combat wildlife trafficking and pushed for workforce training programs and affordable housing aid across Long Island. 3 Garbarino was caught on video snoozing during the vote on President Trump's Big Beautiful Bill, as his opponent Halpin said, 'Our Congressman, Andrew Garbarino, is asleep at the wheel — literally.' CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images He recently touted that he and other Republicans helped quadruple the SALT deduction cap to $40,000. But Halpin says Garbarino's record mostly falls flat at home, accusing the congressman of 'going Washington' and failing to deliver while accusing Garbarino of putting billionaires over Suffolk County's working families. Some constituents of Garbarino seem unhappy with their congressman, even within party lines, as hardcore Republicans liken him to a RINO, or 'Republican in name only,' while moderates criticize his high-profile snoozefest during the key bill vote. '[Republicans] called Biden 'Sleepy Joe' for four years, and then [Garbarino] actually slept through the vote. [Halpin] should call him 'Sleepy Drew' — he's got my vote,' Patchogue resident Jennifer Armúngo told The Post. Halpin closed out his announcement by saying voters are 'tired of the dysfunction' — and argued that Long Island 'deserves better' than what it's getting in Washington. Advertisement Garbarino did not respond to a Post request for comment. -Additional reporting by Steven Nelson
New York Post
3 days ago
- Health
- New York Post
Rep. Wesley Hunt probes how many of New York's 670K illegal immigrants are on Medicaid
Texas Rep. Wesley Hunt is demanding answers from New York Gov. Kathy Hochul over how many of the state's estimated 670,000 illegal immigrants are receiving access to Medicaid benefits Hunt (R-Texas) blasted out a missive to Hochul on Monday, raising questions about how the Empire State has leveraged waivers to allow its Medicaid program to operate differently from federal standards. 'Governor Hochul is required to report this information to the federal government. So the question is simple: Will she comply, or continue to harbor lawbreakers while putting the health care of law-abiding citizens at risk?' Hunt said in a statement to The Post. 'This is what Democrat leadership looks like: open borders, benefits for illegal aliens, and betrayal of the American people.' An estimated 1.4 million people 'whose citizenship, nationality, or satisfactory immigration status is not verified' are potentially being covered by Medicaid programs in various states, according to a Congressional Budget Office estimate. 3 Rep. Wesley Hunt demanded New York investigate whether illegal immigrants have benefited from Medicaid. CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images 3 New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has ripped Republicans for cutting Medicaid in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Gabriella Bass One study from the liberal-leaning Fiscal Policy Institute cited by Hunt found that there are some 670,000 illegal immigrants in the Empire State — about 4% of its population. New York has benefited from Section 1115 waivers, which allow it to experiment and deviate from federal standards in its implementation of Medicaid, a program that provides health insurance to 70 million low-income Americans. Hunt noted that the Biden administration had rejected the use of those waivers for states like South Carolina, Arizona, and elsewhere. The Texas Republican stressed that the waivers were not intended to allow illegal immigrants to benefit. 'The Biden Administration allowed, and even encouraged, the use of these 1115 waivers to extend Medicaid to undocumented immigrants, despite federal law prohibiting them from receiving such benefits,' Hunt wrote in his Monday letter to Hochul. Back in February, President Trump signed an executive order directing his administration to ensure, to the maximum extent possible, that 'no taxpayer-funded benefits go to unqualified aliens.' That order pointed to existing law, such as the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, which generally blocks illegal immigrants from getting federal benefits from the taxpayers. The Texas Republican also cited concerns about New York's Green Light Law, which permits all state residents, regardless of immigration status, to get driver's licenses. 3 An estimated 4% of New York's population are illegal immigrants, according to a study. Robert Mecea The Justice Department filed a lawsuit against that law, arguing it hamstrings federal enforcement of immigration law. Hunt argued it could help illegal immigrants get access to taxpayer-funded benefits. To address these concerns, Hunt demanded Hochul conduct a review of its Medicaid enrollment based on Social Security numbers and release those findings to the public. 'New Yorkers deserve transparency, accountability, and adherence to the law in the administration of public health programs,' Hunt argued in his letter to Hochul. 'Policies that divert limited resources away from lawful recipients not only violate federal standards—-they destroy public trust and threaten the sustainability of programs designed to serve our most vulnerable citizens.' The Post contacted a Hochul spokesperson for comment. Hunt has drawn speculation over recent weeks that he may vie for Sen. John Cornyn's (R-Texas) seat in the 2026 midterm cycle.
New York Post
3 days ago
- Politics
- New York Post
GOP congressman facing eviction blames broken payment links for $85K in unpaid rent
Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.) claims a faulty payment portal has prevented him from paying $85,000 in rent for his penthouse apartment – as he faces possible eviction. The congressman's luxury Washington, DC, apartment overlooking the Potomac River comes with a hefty $20,833 per month price tag. The penthouse level of his building offers residents 'access through private elevators for discrete comings and goings,' 'captivating views in every residence,' 'bold Italian cabinetry,' 'Calacatta quartz countertops' and the services and amenities 'of a world-class hotel,' according to the website. 3 Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., walks down the House steps of the Capitol on Thursday, May 18, 2023. CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images The building was once home to former President Joe Biden's granddaughter, Naomi. Mills' landlord contends Florida's 7th District rep hasn't paid his rent since March, documents filed last week in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia show. 'I know facts are unusual and unfamiliar thing for you,' Mills wrote on X Monday, in a fiery response directed at Daily Beast reporter Roger Sollenberger, who first reported on the eviction case, 'but here's just the past two months where you can see I'm repeatedly asking for payment links and again as I tried with management today, it failed to process.' Mills' tweet included screenshots of two emails he sent to his landlord on June 17 and July 3, reporting that the link he has 'does not work.' The lawmaker argued that the error code he's receiving, which he also included a screenshot of, is indicative of a problem on the landlord's end. 3 Mills claims a faulty payment portal has prevented him from paying $85,000 in rent for his penthouse apartment, as he faces possible eviction. Cory Mills/X 3 The congressman's luxury Washington, DC, apartment overlooking the Potomac River comes with a hefty $20,833 per month price tag. Cory Mills/X Mills went on to describe Sollenberger as a 'biased hack!' The landlord's ledger, included in the eviction documents, shows Mills has been late on his rent more than a dozen times since June of 2023, when he first moved into the swanky building. A spokesperson for Mills did not immediately respond to The Post's request for comment. The congressman's office told the Washington Examiner that Mills 'has been in contact with his landlord from the beginning, attempting to resolve their payment link issue so he can pay his bill.' An initial hearing date in the eviction case has been set for September.
Forbes
09-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Lummis Crypto Tax Reform Bill Could Transform U.S. Digital Asset Rules
WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 21: Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty ... More Images) The U.S. digital asset industry has been operating under a tax code that wasn't built for the blockchain era. A lack of clear definitions, inconsistent treatment, and outdated frameworks has made compliance not just burdensome—but risky. And not just for retail investors, but for institutions, developers, and even regulators trying to keep up. Case in point: the way digital assets are taxed compared to securities and commodities. Stepping into this regulatory gap is Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), a longtime Bitcoin advocate and one of the most consistent crypto-focused voices on Capitol Hill. On July 3, 2025, Lummis introduced a standalone digital asset tax reform bill that, if enacted, could mark a pivotal moment in harmonizing how digital and traditional financial assets are treated under the Internal Revenue Code (IRC). Her proposal follows the removal of similar provisions from the broader 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act' during the House amendment process, a result that prompted Lummis to reintroduce them independently to preserve momentum behind digital asset tax clarity. 'We cannot allow our archaic tax policies to stifle American innovation,' said Lummis in a press release. 'My legislation ensures Americans can participate in the digital economy without inadvertent tax violations.' The bill outlines several key reforms aimed at modernizing tax treatment for digital assets. Here is a closer look at its major provisions and what they could mean for legal, financial, and compliance professionals navigating this evolving policy landscape. A Statutory Definition for Digital Assets Section 1 of the bill amends Section 7701 of the IRC to introduce a formal definition of 'digital asset.' Under the proposal, a digital asset is defined as a 'digital representation of value which is recorded on a cryptographically secured distributed ledger,' with carve-outs for representations of traditional financial assets and real-world property. This definitional clarification addresses a long-standing challenge across regulatory bodies: multiple federal agencies currently operate with differing classifications of digital assets. Establishing a consistent statutory definition offers a shared foundational reference point across regulatory domains and could reduce ambiguity in compliance frameworks moving forward as well as industry-wide clarity. Tax Treatment of Digital Asset Lending The legislation expands Section 1058 to cover 'specified assets,' a new term that includes both traditional securities and actively traded digital assets. As a result, lending arrangements involving qualifying digital assets would no longer trigger a taxable event at the moment of transfer, provided that certain conditions are met. This change seeks to address a long-standing disincentive for capital formation and liquidity in tokenized markets. Under current rules, lending crypto (even temporarily) can trigger immediate—often onerous—tax consequences, even when no economic benefit has been realized. Accordingly, the proposed update aims to remove barriers that, as explained by Lummis, have 'discouraged legitimate lending markets and created artificial barriers to capital efficiency.' Wash Sale Rule Extension for Digital Assets A separate provision revises Section 1091 to apply the 30-day wash sale rule to digital assets. While this change would close a known tax-loss harvesting strategy used by some crypto investors, it brings digital assets into alignment with long-standing treatment of securities. Notably, the bill includes exceptions for dealers and for transactions involving payment stablecoins, which are defined elsewhere in the bill. This signals a targeted application of tax parity principles while accounting for practical differences in asset function. Lummis's bill would ensure tax neutrality between asset classes while maintaining appropriate exceptions for legitimate business activities. Mark-to-Market Accounting for Traders and Dealers The bill also creates a new Section 475(g), allowing traders and dealers in specified digital assets to elect mark-to-market treatment. This election would allow taxpayers to recognize gains and losses based on fair market value at year-end, similar to rules already available to securities and commodities traders. For high-frequency trading firms, hedge funds, and crypto-native trading platforms, the bill's mark-to-market provision could significantly reshape how gains and losses are recognized for tax purposes. If adopted, digital asset dealers and traders would be allowed to treat holdings as if they were sold at fair market value at year-end, which would mirror the treatment already available to securities and commodities traders. This shift would bring long-overdue consistency to how digital asset income is reported and allow firms to claim losses more accurately in volatile markets. Adjustments for Mining, Staking, and Charitable Contributions The legislation proposes additional reforms in areas that have generated ongoing uncertainty: Each of these provisions reflects attempts to align digital asset taxation with functional and operational realities in the Web3 ecosystem. Administrative Oversight and Anti-Abuse Provisions The bill includes several regulatory safeguards, authorizing the Treasury Secretary to issue guidance on wallet segregation, mixed-transaction treatment, basis adjustments, and broker reporting. It also anticipates the need for anti-abuse rules to prevent manipulation of the new exclusions or accounting elections. These provisions suggest that while the bill aims to simplify and clarify, it does not forgo regulatory rigor. Instead, it reflects an attempt to balance innovation and integrity within a modernized tax framework. Temporary Reforms with a Built-In Sunset Each major provision in the bill, including those related to lending, staking, wash sales, and de minimis exemptions, features a sunset date ten year of December 31, 2035. This temporal limitation suggests that lawmakers view the proposed reforms as transitional measures, subject to revision as markets, technology and regulatory experience evolve and results inform future lawmaking. For businesses and tax professionals, however, the sunset clause could introduce long-term planning uncertainty and regulatory risk. This underscores the importance of continued stakeholder engagement during the rulemaking and review process. While the Lummis proposal is still in its early stages and its passage is far from certain, it represents a notable effort to modernize digital asset taxation by aligning it with long-standing rules in the traditional financial sector. Taken together, the provisions signal a broader shift in how lawmakers are approaching digital asset regulation to prioritize clarity, neutrality, and administrative feasibility. For legal, financial, and compliance professionals, this bill provides an important window into the direction of U.S. tax policy. As digital assets become more integrated into capital markets and everyday commerce, the ability to interpret and navigate these evolving rules will remain a key strategic competency.
New York Post
06-07-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Reps Pfluger and Carter reveal their families are safe after deadly Texas summer camp flooding
Two House lawmakers revealed that their family members who were at a Texas camp that was ravaged by catastrophic flash flooding on Friday are safe. Reps. August Pfluger (R-Texas) and Buddy Carter (R-Ga.) both had relatives who were evacuated from flooding that devastated Texas Hill Country and killed at least 80 people, according to authorities. Pfluger had two daughters at Camp Mystic, a Christian camp in Hunt, Texas, located not far from the Guadalupe River. 'Camille, Vivian and I are now reunited with Caroline and Juliana who were evacuated from Camp Mystic,' the Texas rep revealed Saturday. 'The last day has brought unimaginable grief to many families and we mourn with them as well as holding out hope for survivors.' 'We want to thank the first responders who have come from far and wide to save lives.' 3 Rep. August Pfluger thanked local officials after his two daughters were rescued from the Texas floods. CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images 3 Rep. Buddy Carter revealed that his granddaughters lost a cousin to the tragic flooding. AP There were at least 750 campers at the Christian camp when the flooding broke out and reached dangerous levels in the middle of the night. Authorities say that there are still 11 children from that camp who are still missing. Pfluger also commended Camp Mystic's co-owner, Dick Eastland, for giving up his life to rescue girls at the camp. 'Camp Mystic's Dick Eastland no doubt gave his life attempting to save his campers,' the Texas rep added. 'For decades he and his wife Tweety poured his life into loving and developing girls and women of character. Thank you Mr. Eastland. We love you and miss you.' Meanwhile, Carter revealed on Sunday that he had grandchildren at the camp that flooded, without specifying Camp Mystic. 'As you may have heard, my granddaughters were at the summer camp in Texas that flooded. They are safe, and I thank you for your well-wishes and prayers during this time,' Carter wrote on X Sunday. 'Unfortunately, not everyone was as lucky. My granddaughters lost their cousin, Janie, and many other families are grieving loved ones.' Camp Mystic has long been frequented by prominent political families in Texas, such as Former President Lyndon B. Johnson's daughters and granddaughters and great-granddaughters, as well as Former First Lady Laura Bush. 3 Authorities have been scrambling to find any survivors from the catastrophic Texas flood. AP So far, the majority of the deaths have been reported in Kerr County, but several fatalities have been reported in Burnet, Kendall and Travis counties. Top officials in Texas have vowed to keep the search and rescue operations going. 'We have not given up on recovery. We have not given up search and rescue. Search and Rescue, first and foremost, recovery, if it happens,' Patrick told 'Fox & Friends Weekend' on Sunday. 'Miracles can happen.'
