Auringer: Ryan's Fraud Problem Followed Him from Ulster County to Congress

KINGSTON, NY - June 12, 2026 -- Jackie Auringer today criticized Congressman Pat Ryan for voting against H.R. 8464, the Stopping Fraudulent Payments Act, legislation designed to stop suspicious payments before taxpayer money goes out the door.

"Pat Ryan's fraud problem followed him from Ulster County to Congress," Auringer said. "Pat Ryan appointed the official tied to a COVID relief program that sent taxpayer grants to businesses that did not qualify. Instead of holding him accountable, Ryan rewarded him with a job in Congress. Now Ryan is voting against legislation to stop fraudulent payments before taxpayer money goes out the door."

As Ulster County Executive, Ryan appointed Tim Weidemann to serve as the county's Director of Economic Development. Weidemann later ran Ulster County's CARES II small business grant program, a COVID relief initiative funded with American Rescue Plan Act dollars.

A 2023 audit by the Ulster County Comptroller's Office found serious failures in the program, including that roughly half of the businesses awarded grants were ineligible under the program's own rules. Some recipients reportedly had adjusted gross incomes exceeding $1 million.

Ryan had already left for Congress by the time the audit was released. But the failures happened in his administration, under his appointee, on his watch.

And Ryan's response? He brought Weidemann onto his congressional staff.

"Pat Ryan owes the families of the Hudson Valley an explanation," Auringer said. "Why did he reward the official tied to Ulster County's COVID relief failures with a congressional job? And why is he now voting against legislation to stop fraudulent payments before taxpayer money goes out the door?"

H.R. 8464 would give federal agencies greater authority to pause payments flagged for elevated fraud risk before money is sent out. Auringer said Ryan's vote shows a clear pattern: failure to demand accountability at home, followed by opposition to taxpayer protections in Washington.

Auringer said the issue goes directly to affordability.

"Fraud, waste, and improper payments are not abstract Washington problems," Auringer said. "Every dollar government loses is a dollar taxpayers are forced to make up through higher taxes, higher costs, or fewer services. If Washington is serious about affordability, it has to start by protecting the money families already send there."

Auringer said Hudson Valley families deserve a representative who will put taxpayers first -- not protect the insiders who know where the bodies are buried.

"Pat Ryan talks about helping working families, but when he had the chance to vote to stop fraudulent payments, he voted no," Auringer said. "I am running to bring real accountability to federal spending and to end the cycle where officials fail upward and taxpayers foot the bill."