In the wake of a Journal News/lohud report that an aide to Rep. Mike Lawler appeared to infiltrate a private anti-Lawler chat group and urge disruption at a May Town Hall, two Republican colleagues are questioning her actions.
In addition, progressive groups have called for Erin Crowley’s resignation, and a potential 2026 challenger for Lawler’s seat requested a state investigation.
A July 8 news report found that Crowley — or someone using Crowley’s phone — gained access to the Fight Lawler group’s private Signal chat group, using the alias Jake Thomas. That apparent infiltration included live-posting from Lawler’s May 4 Town Hall in Somers, during which the person using Thomas’ account urged the audience to boo Lawler off the stage and walk out of the meeting in protest.
Crowley, deputy district director to Lawler, is also a Putnam County legislator from Mahopac.
In Republican-controlled Putnam County, county Legislator Paul Jonke, R-Southeast, said he was chagrined to read the allegations about his fellow Republican. “As a Republican, we always like to stand up for what’s right and to play by the rules,” he said. “To hear one of ours was not playing by the rules is disappointing.”
Frank Ciano, who lost his bid for the Republican nomination for Carmel town supervisor in June, said the Signal chat incident casts doubts on Crowley’s trustworthiness. He said if Crowley acted on her own, Lawler should fire her. But if Lawler was involved in the Signal infiltration, Ciano said Lawler “should go down.”
“Every time I see her, she’s rather nice to me,” he said of Crowley. “But obviously she can’t be trusted after this.”
Meanwhile, a dozen progressive Hudson Valley community and political organizations have called for Crowley’s resignation.
“This unethical and deceitful behavior represents a gross abuse of power, a violation of trust, and an affront to democratic values,” the groups said in a statement. “If Crowley acted independently, she has proven herself unfit for office. If she acted with the knowledge and approval of her superiors, the scandal implicates the entire Congressional office.”
The left-leaning groups include Citizen Action of New York, New York Working Families Party, Community Voice Heard Power, New York Communities for Change, Joining Forces, Peekskill Progressives, Putnam Progressives, and five Indivisible chapters in Westchester and Rockland counties.
Lawler has yet to respond to numerous requests for comment about Crowley’s alleged infiltration into the Signal chat group, dating back to June 13. He did not respond to emails on July 9.
Crowley has also failed to respond to numerous emails, phone messages and face-to-face questions since May 20.
Congressional candidate Phillips-Staley seeks state probe
Seven Democrats are seeking the party’s nomination to oppose Lawler in 2026. Several quickly responded to the lohud report.
On Tuesday, candidate Effie Phillips-Staley sent a letter to state Attorney General Leticia James asking for an investigation into Crowley’s actions.
“This appears to violate and manipulate the freedom of association and political expression that’s guaranteed in the First Amendment,” said Philips-Staley. “It also seems to be an example of illegal surveillance as the individuals on this Signal chat had a reasonable expectation of privacy. The very fact that a government official hid their identity and spied on constituents who hold opposing views is deeply troubling.”
The matter is under review, a spokesperson for James said Wednesday.
Lawler has twice beaten Democrats in a district with a sizable Democratic enrollment edge.
Democrat candidates lash out at Crowley and Lawler
Congressional candidate Jessica Reinmann, of Chappaqua is asking the Congressional Ethics Committee to investigate Lawler’s possible involvement in the Signal chat.
Cait Conley, an Ossining Democrat also seeking the party’s endorsement, said that the live posts from Crowley’s phone number at the May 4 Town Hall sounded similar to Russian operations to stoke partisan discord during the 2024 elections. In 2024, Conley oversaw the security of national election systems for the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
“This is literally something we have seen our foreign adversaries doing,” said Conley. “It’s outrageous to me that the staff of an elected member of Congress is using this tactic against the people he is supposed to be representing.”
Tax Watch, lohud’s weekly newsletter, gives you the latest on tax issues and government accountability from columnist David McKay Wilson. Get Tax Watch emailed to you every Thursday morning; sign up at https://profile.lohud.com/newsletters/tax-watch/
David McKay Wilson is a columnist who writes about tax issues and government accountability. Follow him on X @davidmckay415 or email him at dwilson3@lohud.com.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Liberal groups, Republicans seek action over Lawler aide’s alleged infiltration of chat
Reporting by David McKay Wilson, Tax Watch and government accountability columnist / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
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