Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 21
Jessica Ramos Double-Billed 50-Plus Travel Expenses, Records Show
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 21

Jessica Ramos Double-Billed 50-Plus Travel Expenses, Records Show

1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 21

Summary

  • More than 50 train-fare claims matched exactly between Jessica Ramos’s campaign spending and New York’s legislative reimbursement system, according to records and former aides cited by The New York Times.
  • The alleged overlap extended to hotels: during an April 2024 Albany trip, Ramos charged her campaign $618 for two stays, then filed for per diems that covered that amount plus another $183.
  • Former staff members said that week was a typical example of a broader pattern in which the Queens Democrat used campaign funds while also seeking taxpayer reimbursement for the same travel costs.
  • Ramos is a prominent state senator who unsuccessfully ran for New York City mayor last year, making the allegations a potential political and ethics problem beyond the disputed reimbursements.

Insights

How did a prominent New York lawmaker manage to double-bill taxpayers and donors over 50 times without triggering a single audit alarm?
What hidden loopholes in the state expense system allow officials to secretly cash in twice for the exact same hotel stays?