ITHACA, NY — Joseph Hernandez, Republican candidate for New York State Comptroller, today condemned a newly reported ethics scandal involving State Senator Lea Webb, who accepted free legal services from a nonprofit organization that had previously received $30,000 in taxpayer funding she helped allocate.
“This is exactly the kind of quid pro quo behavior that destroys trust in government,” said Hernandez. “You don’t get to direct taxpayer money to an organization and then personally benefit from it. That is a clear abuse of power.”
Hernandez also criticized Webb’s response after the arrangement became public, noting that her decision to repay the nonprofit only came after scrutiny.
“Let’s be clear, she is only offering to pay it back because she got caught,” Hernandez said. “That is not accountability, it’s damage control. Public officials should not need to be exposed in order to do the right thing.”
Hernandez said the incident reflects a broader pattern of corruption enabled by one-party control in Albany and a lack of independent oversight.
“This is what happens when there is no real accountability over how taxpayer money is handed out,” Hernandez said. “For nearly two decades, Comptroller Tom DiNapoli has failed to act as an independent watchdog, allowing taxpayer dollars to flow with little scrutiny.”
As State Comptroller, Hernandez pledged to launch aggressive audits of taxpayer funds across all state spending, including funds directed to nonprofit organizations, to identify fraud, conflicts of interest, improper relationships, and misuse of public money.
“As Comptroller, I will follow every taxpayer dollar,” Hernandez said. “Whether it is a state agency, contractor, or nonprofit; any public money will be scrutinized to ensure it is not being used for personal benefit, political favors, or backdoor deals. If there is fraud or abuse, it will be exposed and referred for investigation.”
Hernandez said restoring transparency and accountability will be central to rebuilding public trust.
“New Yorkers deserve to know where their money is going and that it is being used honestly,” Hernandez said. “That starts with a Comptroller who is willing to do the job.”