Lester Chang, a Republican from Brooklyn, believes he has documentation that he passed residency criteria prior to his unexpected victory over longtime Assemblyman Peter Abbate, Jr. last month (D-Dyker Heights).
“I am personally insulted that anyone would question my honor and honesty,” Chang said at a rally in Sunset Park on Saturday, when he was joined by other Republican politicians and fans.
Chang spoke for the first time since state Assembly Democrats declared their intention to thwart his bid for the 49th District seat in southern Brooklyn.
Lester Chang defeated Peter Abbate, Jr. by nearly one percentage point.
He revealed that he and his wife once shared a Manhattan apartment, but stated he was a longtime Brooklynite who maintained a dual residency at his childhood home in Midwood.
Democrats are making a fuss about Chang’s residency because he voted in Manhattan last year, but his attorney, John Ciampoli, stated that Chang voted there because he is a veteran of the United States Navy and was in the borough on official business.
Later, sources familiar with the issue provided The Post with Chang’s financial documents that appear to demonstrate he fulfilled the criterion of residing in Brooklyn for 12 months prior to this year’s election day.
If he meets the residency criteria, Lester Chang will assume the 49th District seat.
The Judiciary Committee of the Assembly is scheduled to have a hearing on this issue in Albany on December 19, prior to a possible vote by the entire body in January.
If the Assembly votes to remove Chang from office, Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul could schedule a special election to fill the vacancy. This could pave the way for Abbate to retake the seat he initially won in 1986, despite his unexpected loss of 48.6% to 47.49%.
Others there on Saturday included Brooklyn Republican Chairman Ted Ghorra, Staten Island Republican Councilman David Carr, and former Republican mayoral candidate and Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa. Throughout the entire event, supporters chanted, “Lester won!”
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