Former Congressman John Faso warned conservatives that New York Democrats are mounting what he called a “scam” to redraw the state’s only Republican-held New York City congressional district, a legal fight that could threaten Rep. Nicole Malliotakis’ seat on Staten Island and in Brooklyn.
Speaking at the New York State Conservative Party conference in Albany, Faso, an attorney and former gubernatorial candidate who now helps coordinate redistricting strategy for state Republicans, criticized a Manhattan lawsuit challenging the boundaries of New York’s 11th Congressional District.
Faso said the suit, filed by the national Democratic law firm led by Marc Elias, alleges the district is racially discriminatory because Black and Hispanic voters supposedly lack the opportunity to “influence the outcome of the election.” He argued the case was brought under the New York Voting Rights Act, which he said “specifically says that it doesn’t apply to congressional or legislative redistricting.”
“They are attempting to pull off a scam off on the voters of New York State, particularly Staten Island and Brooklyn,” Faso told activists.
The legal challenge escalated this week when Judge Jeffrey Pearlman ordered the state’s Independent Redistricting Commission to produce a new congressional map, ruling the current lines unconstitutional for cutting out minority voters. Republicans say the decision could ultimately be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.
“We will use every legal option at our disposal,” Malliotakis said in a statement, accusing Democrats of trying to redraw the district because they “can’t beat me on merit, policy and debate.”
Faso sharply questioned Pearlman’s impartiality, citing the judge’s past ties to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s administration, and accused state leaders of supporting a partisan outcome despite acknowledging the law may not apply.
“The decision is not grounded in precedent,” Faso said, calling the ruling highly “absurd.”
Democrats counter that new district boundaries could better protect minority voting strength and potentially reshape other downstate seats ahead of the 2026 elections.
For now, Faso urged conservatives to remain vigilant, saying Democrats “will do anything” in their push to revise New York’s political map.