former County Legislator Christopher Johnson
On July 24, Westchester County Legislator Christopher Johnson resigned his elected office, after being embroiled in a scandal involving his residence and an affordable housing condo that he owned in Yonkers.
Some in Westchester are calling for a criminal investigation to be conducted about Johnson’s residential status and whether his salary over the past year should be returned. Dan Branda, a candidate for Westchester County Legislator in the 4th district said, “The moment he moved into his new home, he vacated his legislative seat, and he admitted this to the IG. For an entire year, he collected a salary for a seat that he vacated, with the intent of hiding that fact.”
“His role in the redistricting process, to make sure his new home would be in the district, needs to be investigated. Who else on the Board of Legislators knew what he was doing? The Westchester District Attorney should investigate this, and the Board of Legislators should have kept their investigation open, instead of closing it when he resigned,” said Branda.
Note: Other elected officials have spoken to this reporter about a taxpayer lawsuit seeking to claw back of Johnson’s salary. Yonkers Rising columnist Eric Schoen wanted the taxpayers of Westchester to stop paying Johnson’s salary in his column.
For more than one year, Johnson lived in a home outside of the 16th district that he represents, which is a violation of the Westchester County Charter. Prior to moving into the $800,000 home with his wife and son, Johnson lived in an affordable housing condo that was in the 16th district and was Johnson’s official residence. But during his democratic primary reelection, it was discovered that other persons were living in the one-bedroom condo, which is a violation of the City of Yonkers Affordable Housing Ordinance.
Yonkers Inspector General Liam McLaughlin issued a report which found that Johnson and his wife Tai had purchased a home outside of the 16th BOL district, and that Johnson had listed the new home as his primary residence on mortgage documents.
In his resignation letter, Johnson writes, “At this time, my service has become an interference on centering the improvements of this county…I know that stepping away will allow more time and energy to be spent on the most challenging and pressing issues that people face.
