Democrat New York Rep. Josh Riley’s district is living with the fallout after he publicly backed expunging the records of violent felons.
Riley, who represents the state’s 19th district, backed the passage of the New York State bill, the “Clean Slate Act,” which Democrat Governor Kathy Hochul signed, according to a Local Spectrum News report.
NY Democrat @JoshRileyUE claims, “You’ve got foreign corporations buying up our utility monopolies, jacking up rates…and then popping champagne bottles”
Josh Riley HIMSELF invested in the VERY SAME foreign utility corporation & took thousands from their lobbyist 🍾🥂 pic.twitter.com/CQxsfgQjf9
— NRCC (@NRCC) April 29, 2026
The law, which took effect in November 2024, automatically seals an individual’s criminal record three years after completing a sentence for a misdemeanor and eight years after completing a sentence for most felonies. (RELATED: Democrat Gets Shouted Out Of His Own Town Hall By Raging Anti-Israel Protesters)
Under the legislation, several offenders in the district represented by the Democrat could eventually have their records sealed — including a Harpursville, New York man who killed a 13-year-old boy in 2023 after striking him with his pickup truck and fleeing the scene.
Delaware County District Attorney Shawn Smith argued that the Clean Slate Act rewards repeat offenders while undermining law-abiding citizens, writing to the Caller, “The Clean Slate Act is yet another law that rewards criminals and punishes law-abiding citizens. The law orders certain career criminals to be treated the same as those individuals that have spent their life doing the right thing and never breaking a law.”
Smith further noted that when felons are not held fully accountable for their criminal actions, it undermines the justice system and, in his view, contributes to the rise in crime rates, writing, “The notion that criminals – particularly felons – do not need to be held accountable for their criminal acts is what leads to the significant increase in crime we have seen.”
The man was originally charged with criminally negligent homicide — a felony excluded from automatic sealing under the law. However, prosecutors later allowed him to plead guilty to criminal possession of a firearm and attempted leaving the scene of a fatal motor vehicle accident, both of which qualify to be sealed under the Clean Slate Act.
NEWS: Democrat Rep. Josh Riley is under fire for taking campaign donations from lobbyists tied to a utility company.
A stark reminder that Democrats like @RepRileyNY @JoshRileyUE don’t actually care about affordability. pic.twitter.com/V3l4ZwUVCD
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) March 9, 2026
In 2018, two individuals were arrested in Broome County after authorities said they were found in possession of heroin, methamphetamine, and a quantity of fentanyl that law enforcement estimated was large enough to be potentially lethal to hundreds of thousands of people, according to a WWLP report. At the time, the Johnson City police chief said he believed the fentanyl would likely have contributed to overdose deaths in Broome County if it had reached the community, according to a WWLP.
Both individuals were later convicted on multiple felony charges and, under the Clean Slate Act’s eligibility rules, could qualify to have those convictions sealed in the future. (RELATED: Meet The Woke Ex-Criminal Who Went From Gov’t-Funded Activism To Running NYC Jails)
Another example from Riley’s district involves a man convicted in 2023 of felony criminal possession of a controlled substance after authorities said he was found with enough fentanyl to kill more than 7,000 people — a conviction that could ultimately be eligible for sealing under the bill, according to a Binghamton Homepage report.
Republican New York State Sen. Peter Oberacker criticized the legislation in a statement to the Caller, arguing, “Albany Democrats passed the Clean Slate Act over the objections of law enforcement, and New Yorkers are paying the price. Shielding violent criminal records from public view puts our families, our first responders, and our communities at risk.”
When the legislation was being debated in 2022, Riley expressed support for the proposal, saying, “one thing that I do support is the Clean Slate Act,” according to a WSKG report. He also promoted the measure on his campaign website during his 2022 congressional campaign, listing it among the policies he would support if elected.
Oberacker also specifically targeted Riley over his support for the measure, adding, “This law needs to be repealed, and unlike Josh Riley, who has chosen to side with Albany Democrats and Kathy Hochul over NY-19 families, I’ll use every tool available in Congress to make that happen.”
Notably, Riley’s support for the Clean Slate Act aligns with other criminal justice positions he has publicly promoted, and he has also received campaign contributions from groups that supported bail reform efforts. (RELATED: Swing Seat Dem Took Campaign Donation From ‘Soft On Crime’ Group That Wants To Abolish Cash Bail)
Riley has also faced criticism over his connection to a Washington, D.C.-based distillery he co-owns, which has used anti-law enforcement-themed branding and marketing slogans such as “ICE crushed” and sells a product labeled “fascist tears” vodka, according to a New York Post report.
Today: a crazed shooter reportedly attacks an ICE office with bullets engraved “Anti ICE”
Also today: New York “Dem Rep. Josh Riley quietly invested in DC distillery that sells ‘Fascist Tears Vodka’ and likes ‘ICE Crushed’” pic.twitter.com/ENm01f4cyi
— Ben Petersen (@bennpetersen) September 24, 2025
In addition, critics have pointed to financial and political ties between Riley and progressive groups and figures aligned with criminal justice reform efforts, including New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani, according to a Fox News Digital report.
National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) spokeswoman Maureen O’Toole criticized Riley’s record, telling the Caller, “Josh Riley is a danger to his constituents, and it’s just that simple.”
The Daily Caller reached out to Riley for comment but did not receive a response prior to publication.
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