Joe DioGuardi in The New York Times 2010s

On Foreign Policy: Yes, I was a lobbyist; to fight Albanian genocide

DIOGUARDI REFUTATION: After leaving Congress, DioGuardi worked to end the genocide of Albanians in the former Yugoslavia. He traveled from safe house to safe house collecting documents that revealed the gruesome realities that were occurring; he shared these with Congress, and thereby qualifies as a lobbyist. While DioGuardi was fighting genocide, Gillibrand worked to help Philip Morris, and maintains strong ties with Big Tobacco.

On Government Reform: In Congress, served as president of Truth In Government

DIOGUARDI REFUTATION: Joe fought to cut spending and increase accountability in Congress as president of Truth In Government. During his time in Congress, Joe used his experience as a CPA to push for reforms to the government budgeting system to reduce spending, cut waste, and increase accountability. Joe recommended ending wasteful duplicative practices in the 200 government agencies by adopting uniform accounting systems. Joe also fought to change the government's current cash-basis (one-year) accounting system to an accrual system--which businesses are required to use. He sponsored legislation to create a chief financial officer within the Treasury to increase oversight of U.S. government spending. As President of Truth in Government, Joe has worked to strengthen our country's financial foundation by promoting accountability and transparency in Congressional spending and reporting.

On Government Reform: 1987: Voted NO on Congress pay raise; donated his to charity

DIOGUARDI REFUTATION: The vote cited in Gillibrand's ad was an omnibus spending bill. During the floor debates, DioGuardi did vote for the elimination of the 3% pay increase for Congress, which passed. As a fiscal conservative, however, DioGuardi voted against the big-spending bill even though it would eliminate a 3% pay increase. When Congress did receive a pay raise, DioGuardi chose to donate his to charity.

[As reported in AP & UPI, 4/1/87]: "Here are 12 senators and 56 representatives who have refused to accept a $12,100 pay raise, according to consumer advocate Ralph Nader.. NY Reps. Joseph DioGuardi & George Wortley, Republicans.. Those donating their raises to charity, are: . Joseph DioGuardi, R-NY..."

In reality, it was Gillibrand who voted to raise congressional pay. Just last year, senator gillibrand voted to kill legislation to end automatic pay raises for members of congress. (S.Amdt. 621, 3/10/09)

On Tax Reform: Fined by IRS in 1978 for deducting commodity spreads

DIOGUARDI REFUTATION: The year prior to the IRS filing against DioGuardi, the treatment of commodity spreads--which was a practice that was commonly used and recommended by leading accountant firms in the 1970s--was amended. When his family filed their taxes that year, the updated law was not realized.

At that time, taxpayers were subject to a punitive top tax rate of 70%--and Joe sought to protect his family from over-taxation. The tax system was broken, and like many Americans, Joe took steps to reduce his tax burden.

The challenge to the DioGuardi tax return was the result of a new ruling issued by the IRS that changed the treatment of commodity spreads--it had not been a longstanding tax law. The IRS challenged the DioGuardi family tax return in 1978. In the previous year, the IRS issued a ruling that it would no longer accept a tax deduction for losses sustained on those trades. (The Washington Post , 12/21/80)