Gov. Kathy Hochuls attempt to dismiss a federal investigation into a powerful Long Island Democrat as a partisan stunt has drawn a sharp public rebuke from the FBI, which revealed it is working in tandem with New York State authorities on the case.
The clash erupted after Hochul derided the probe into Suffolk County Democratic Party Chairman Rich Schaffer as a political hit job, despite conceding she did not know the details of the allegations. As reported by The New York Post, the FBI responded by confirming not only the existence of the investigation but also that it is a joint federalstate effort, undercutting Hochuls narrative that this is merely Washington meddling in local politics.
The governor, who is locked in a tough reelection fight, had tried to frame the inquiry as a last-minute ambush orchestrated from Washington, even dragging President Trump into a matter driven by complaints from within her own party. Anything coming out of the Trump administration days before an election is calculated as a political hit job, Hochul said earlier this month, a remark that seemed designed to rally the Democratic base rather than address the substance of the charges.
Federal officials, however, made clear they would not allow their work to be used as a political prop. Its irresponsible to comment on joint state and federal investigations during the election campaign to score political points, an FBI spokesperson told The Post.
It undermines the integrity of the investigative process and hurts the candidates running for office, the spokesperson added, signaling rare public frustration from an agency that typically avoids political back-and-forth. The statement marked the FBIs first public confirmation of the Schaffer probe and its first acknowledgment that state investigators are fully engaged alongside federal agents.
The New York Post previously reported that both federal and state authorities have interviewed multiple witnesses about Schaffer, who has ruled Suffolks Democratic machine for more than 26 years. Schaffer was nonetheless reelected party chairman last month, even as he faced accusations that he tried to intimidate party members and allegedly offered money to some in exchange for their votes.
Several Democrats and local officials came forward in September, accusing Schaffer of running a Mafia-style pressure campaign in the days leading up to his victory over progressive challenger Kathryn Casey Quigley, his first serious opponent in nearly three decades. Schaffer has denied all wrongdoing and branded the allegations baseless, while Hochuls instinct to blame President Trump rather than confront alleged corruption in her own ranks raises fresh questions about whether New Yorks Democratic leadership is more interested in protecting its power than in protecting the integrity of its elections.
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