JD Vance uses 'non-political' event to criticize Suozzi; Suozzi calls for probe

Vice President JD Vance turned a Long Island event, initially framed as non-political, into a direct attack on Rep. Tom Suozzi during an 18-minute speech at Gold Coast Studios in Bethpage on Wednesday. Vance labeled Suozzi 'the worst congressman in the entire United State of America' and urged voters in New York’s Third Congressional District to 'kick crazy Tom Suozzi the hell out of Washington.' The event, attended by several hundred people, included remarks from other Republican candidates but was dominated by Vance’s criticism of Suozzi. Suozzi responded by calling Vance 'a phony, childish, amateurish liar' and challenged him to a debate on policies affecting his district. He also demanded an investigation into whether federal funds were improperly used for the event, including travel, security, and studio rental. Suozzi accused Vance of exploiting taxpayer resources for political campaigning, stating the visit was 'a purely political event.' The event took place as early voting began for New York’s June primaries, where Suozzi faces a Democratic primary challenge while Republicans Mike LiPetri and Greg Hach compete for the GOP nomination to replace him in the November midterm election. Vance’s appearance marked the first time Suozzi’s name was mentioned during the event, which also featured Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, Rep. Nick LaLota, and LiPetri, a former state assemblyman backed by Trump and state GOP leaders. Local GOP officials praised Vance’s remarks, with Nassau GOP Chairman Joseph Cairo calling them a clear critique of Suozzi’s voting record, including opposition to eliminating taxes on tips, Social Security, and overtime. Suffolk GOP Chairman Jesse Garcia framed the attack as necessary to expose 'career politicians,' while Democratic leaders condemned Vance’s behavior as 'unbecoming' of his office. Public Citizen lobbyist Craig Holman argued the event violated federal rules, as its political nature required disclosure under campaign finance regulations. The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and Nassau County officials declined to clarify whether police staffing the event were paid for with county funds. Suozzi’s call for a probe underscores tensions over the use of public resources for partisan purposes ahead of the primary elections.