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CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. -- The Long Island congressman who fabricated his qualifications then minimized the lies to the court of public opinion now has to defend himself in federal court, and he says he's ready to do it.

Rep. George Santos faced a judge Wednesday on a 13-count indictment alleging he defrauded supporters and Congress in multiple schemes.

Santos, whose admitted web of lies got him elected but had bucked calls to give up the seat he won as a result, now has to answer to federal criminal charges.

The cost of housing is among the most crucial issues facing Long Island’s future, and it is an issue I have personally worked to address. As chair of the Suffolk County Planning Commission, I eliminated red tape and helped to get shovels in the ground for housing developments. Now, I have serious concerns about an Albany-centric, one size fits all plan to increase housing options, but I am confident that we can address our housing needs if we employ a Suffolk-centric approach.

We need more housing options to allow working families to thrive, young people to stay, and seniors to comfortably retire in Suffolk County. However, the existing piecemeal approval processes have left us with too little housing which, due to simple supply and demand, costs too much. With a median home price of $545,000 and few rental units available in Suffolk County, our young people are compelled to move away. This exodus imperils our future and places Long Island businesses at a competitive disadvantage when needed workers cannot afford to live here.

The housing crisis has grown over decades and needs to be addressed with urgency. However, the proposed solutions from Albany don’t make sense for Long Island, and Suffolk County in particular.

Suffolk County Legislator Al Krupski said this week that he will run for Southold Town supervisor in the November election.

Mr. Krupski (D-Peconic) has long been whispered as a public figure destined for the top job in Town Hall, and he made it official this week. His announcement comes in the final year of Supervisor Scott Russell’s term in office. Mr. Russell, who has served as supervisor since 2005, has said for months he would not run for reelection.

Over Mr. Krupski’s years in public office, he has been one of the strongest voices for preservation of open space — particularly farmland — and has been a strong advocate for the health and well-being of the Peconic Bay estuary.

“I live in this town and I think it’s a great place to live,” Mr. Krupski said in an interview Monday. “I’m very familiar with its workings and its people, and I want to keep it that way, so it will be the same for my grandchildren.”

QUEENS, NY — A watchdog group filed a Federal Election Commission complaint Monday accusing Long Island Rep. George Santos of illegally funneling money from "unknown persons" to his campaign, and deliberately concealing them as a personal $705,000 loan to his own campaign.

The Washington, D.C.-based watchdog group, Campaign Legal Center, named Santos, 34, under the Elmhurst address where his sister reportedly owes $40,000 in unpaid rent. It also names the Devolder Organization, Santos' mysterious firm.

The complaint names Nancy Marks, Santos' campaign treasurer, of Shirley, who served as...

Back to the polls...

Dave Calone is getting his ducks in a row for his Suffolk County executive bid — including Democratic Party chairman Rich Schaffer.

The venture capitalist and former prosecutor is holding a kickoff event Thursday night in Hauppauge, sponsored by Schaffer as well as the county legislature’s Democratic caucus, and the Democratic chairs of Suffolk’s towns, according to a Calone news release.

Calone was unsuccessful in his Democratic primary bid for the 1st Congressional District in 2016, but he appears to be doing everything possible to become the party’s nominee in November this time. That includes a solid campaign war chest — his account had a closing balance of $938,941.09 for the July periodic filing, the most recent available. And now Schaffer is on board, too.