Democrat’s Financial Ties To Gender Mutilation Of Kids

A Democrat lawmaker who narrowly won a congressional seat in an Upstate New York swing district last election has ties to a far-Left distillery that supports radical transgender groups. 

Financial records show that Rep. Josh Riley (D-NY) has invested in a Washington, D.C., distillery called Republic Restoratives that donates a portion of its profits to Advocates for Trans Equality, an activist group dedicated to fighting the Trump administration’s crackdown on transgender ideology. This group supports puberty blockers for kids and argues that “young people deserve privacy” when considering gender surgeries. 

Riley has invested between $1,001 to $15,000 in Republic Restoratives, a woman-owned and crowdfunded distillery, according to his latest available financial disclosure. His new financial disclosure won’t be made available until August 13, 2026, after he filed for an extension in April 2026. 

Republic Restoratives offers a “Civic Pride” Vodka that it describes as “our rainbow-washing clap back.” Some of the proceeds from sales of the activist beverage go toward Advocates for Trans Equality. 

“We were tired of seeing giant corporations with spotty records on LGBTQ rights wrap their products in rainbows every June,” the distillery says. “This gold-medal-winning spirit helps fund the fight for dignity, safety, and justice for our trans siblings.”

Advocates for Trans Equality recently campaigned against a House proposal that would ban schools from hiding a student’s so-called gender identity from parents and keep gender ideology out of the classroom. 

The distillery also raises money for other transgender groups. In June 2025, Republic Restoratives said that it had raised over $5,000 for “trans lives.” 

“Pride’s not a month — it’s a mission. When major brands bailed, when SCOTUS doubled down on hate, when trans kids were told they don’t belong, you didn’t flinch. You funded resistance,” the distillery posted on Facebook a few days after the Supreme Court upheld a Tennessee law protecting kids from transgender procedures. 

“Together, we’ve already raised over $5K for trans advocacy. Now, every Trevor Project Pack sends support where it’s needed most- queer youth in crisis,” the distillery added. 

Funds from sales of the Trevor Project Pack went toward the Trevor Project’s 24/7 LGBTQ crisis phone line. The organization “supports gender-affirming care as an evidence-based practice to support” gender-confused young people. 

Republic Restoratives.

Riley’s record in Congress backs up his association with pro-transgender groups. He voted against a proposal to block school athletic programs from allowing males onto female teams. He also voted against an amendment that would keep bathrooms on military bases separate on the basis of sex. 

Riley defeated Republican incumbent Rep. Marcus Molinaro for the seat in 2024 by about 8,000 votes, less than two percentage points. The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) is targeting the seat in 2026. 

“Creepy Democrat Josh Riley is more interested in forcing taxpayer-funded sex changes on kids than delivering on what Upstate New Yorkers need: lower costs and safer streets,” spokeswoman Maureen O’Toole told The Daily Wire. “Riley’s priorities are backwards, and voters will kick him to the curb in November as a result.” 

Running for the Republican nomination are New York state Senator Peter Oberacker, endorsed by the NRCC, and long-shot candidate Alexander Portelli.