For Immediate Release:
January 16, 2024
Pilip’s Financial Disclosure Another Example of Her Lack of Transparency
Once again begs the question: What is she hiding?
Glen Cove, NY – Four weeks out from Election Day in the special election to replace George Santos, his fellow Republican, Mazi Pilip, is facing questions around transparency regarding her personal finances.
After filing her required personal financial disclosure last week, Newsday reported eyebrow-raising findings in Pilip’s filing:
“Republican congressional candidate Mazi Melesa Pilip filed financial disclosures this week showing she and her husband owed as much as $250,000 in federal income taxes as of last April… The income tax Pilip and her husband owed to the Internal Revenue Service was incurred last April and was valued at between $100,001 and $250,000, Pilip’s disclosure shows. House financial disclosures only require assets and liabilities to be reported in broad ranges.”
All Members of Congress, as well as candidates for Congress, must file annual personal financial disclosures with the House clerk’s office.
Days after submitting her original financial disclosure, Pilip resubmitted her disclosure with substantial differences. Pilip changed details of her salary, assets, and liabilities – including updating her disclosure to state she did not receive a salary from her husband’s medical practice in 2023 just days after it was reported she was subpoenaed in a lawsuit against the practice.
Her amended disclosure drew scrutiny from The New York Times:
“But after inquiries from The New York Times, Ms. Pilip materially amended the statement on Friday.
“The updated paperwork disclosed for the first time that she had a legislative pension; identified her husband as the sole owner of the medical practice, New York Comprehensive Medical Care; and disclosed previously unreported investments and liabilities, including at least $50,000 in medical school loans for Dr. Pilip.
Ms. Pilip also revised her earned income, reporting that she had earned far less from the medical practice: $13,472 in 2022 and nothing in 2023. (She earned $80,000 as a local lawmaker.)”
“Anyone who wants to serve in Congress, especially in this post-Santos election, owes it to the people of Nassau and Queens to make sure they have an informed choice from completely transparent candidates,” said former Congressman Tom Suozzi, who is Pilip’s opponent.
Pilip’s financial disclosure isn’t the first time her transparency has been drawn into question. The Suozzi for Congress campaign has noted that she will not release her county financial disclosures that she has filed every year since she was first elected in 2021. She also continuously dodges questions, hasn’t offered any details or specifics on key issues, and refuses to debate Suozzi.
While Tom Suozzi has accepted more than 10 debate and candidate forum invitations, Pilip has only accepted a single debate on News 12, exactly five days before the February 13th special election and exactly five days after early voting has begun, and not accessible to the Queens’ part of the Third Congressional District.
Why and what is Mazi Pilip hiding?
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Tom Suozzi, trained as an attorney and CPA, is the former Congressman for New York’s 3rd Congressional District, Nassau County Executive, and Mayor of Glen Cove. Tom has committed his 30-year public service career to delivering for his constituents. His philosophy of working with anyone who shares his goal of solving problems and delivering for his constituents has guided his career and led to notable accomplishments on issues including protecting the environment, common-sense gun safety, full access to reproductive health care, immigration, caring for our veterans, affordable healthcare, and fiscal responsibility.