NEW: Josh Riley Backed a Dangerous NY Law. Now, NY-19 Is Staring Down the Consequences.
A new report exposes radical Democrat Josh Riley’s support for a dangerous soft-on-crime law that poses a huge threat to the safety of his constituents.
Riley proudly supports New York’s Clean Slate Act, which allows misdemeanors and most felony charges to be sealed after just a few years. As a result, dangerous criminals in Riley’s district may be roaming the streets again in no time.
Read the full story here or see excerpts below:
EXCLUSIVE: A NY Democrat Backed Expunging Records Of Violent Felons — Now His District Is Living With The Fallout
Daily Caller
Ashley Brasfield
May 21, 2026
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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.
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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.”
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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.
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.
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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.
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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.