GOP candidate Will Sussman asks AG to probe Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay fundraiser allegedly tied to nonprofit

ALBANY — Port Jefferson Republican Assembly candidate Will Sussman called on the state attorney general's office to investigate his opponent Assemb. Rebecca Kassay (D-Port Jefferson) because, he said, a not-for-profit held a campaign event for her after she secured a $15,000 state grant for the group.

Kassay denied any wrongdoing, and said the fundraiser was hosted by individuals, not the organization, East Setauket-based LI Youth Development Inc. The group's founder, Dr. Yanping Yu, said youth leaders who work with the nonprofit erroneously made the post.

Sussman cited a since-deleted Instagram post by LI Youth Development featuring a flyer for an Oct. 3 fundraiser hosted by Yu and Brookhaven Town Councilman Jonathan Kornreich.

Text on the post said: "Join us as we hold a reception to celebrate the contributions Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay has had to the Long Island Youth Development organization and the asian community on Long Island."

Sussman noted the group received a $15,000 state grant in 2025 that, according to data from the state comptroller's office, was a "member initiative," which means a state legislator advocated for the money.

"Even in Albany, most people know that you don't give out taxpayer money in exchange for donations to your campaign," Sussman said in a news release. "I look forward to a full investigation by the attorney general."

Kassay, in a text message to Newsday, contended that the fundraiser wasn't hosted by the nonprofit, but by Yu and Kornreich.

"As clearly seen on the flyer, the campaign event in question was hosted by two individual residents — not by a nonprofit organization," said Kassay, who was first elected to the Assembly in 2024. "My team and I know, respect, and follow the rules that regulate campaign activities."

Yu told Newsday she hosted the event at her home as an individual, not as the founder of the nonprofit, which focuses on youth enrichment, offering clubs and educational opportunities. She said the event was incorrectly posted on the organization's social media by the nonprofit’s youth leaders.

"Our posts are all posted by our youth leaders," she said. "We learned the lesson; we need to look very carefully. It needs to be screened and discussed before posting."

The flyer for the event, which said contributions were "appreciated but not required," asked for between $25 to $500, and noted that they would be eligible for state matching campaign funds. The flyer was first reported by the New York Post and provided to Newsday by Sussman's campaign.

Kassay is featured in several posts on the nonprofit’s Instagram page attending events and helping to fundraise for the organization.

Yu denied any connection between the grant and the fundraiser, saying that she hosted a campaign event two years ago for Kassay when she first ran for Assembly.

"She has been really working very hard to improve our society, our community," Yu told Newsday. "I hosted and I’m going to host another time if she needs it because ... I like her as a person and I like her as an officer."

A longtime State Capitol watchdog said individuals can do things like host a fundraiser, but a nonprofit 501(c) (3) like LI Youth Development can't be involved in electioneering.

"There’s no prohibition on someone who works for a nonprofit, in their capacity as a person, being involved in campaign activities," said Blair Horner, senior policy adviser with the New York Public Interest Research Group, a good-government group. "It’s just whether or not the charity itself is used in any electioneering, making campaign contributions, endorsing candidates. If you’re a 501(c) (3), you can’t do it. End of story."

LI Youth Development Inc. received $15,000 from the state community projects fund as a "member initiative," according to the State Comptroller’s Office. The contract began April 1, 2025, the start of the state’s fiscal year and ended on March 31, 2026. Kassay did not respond when asked if she was the member of the State Legislature who secured the funding.

James' office declined to comment.