A lefty challenger to Dem Queens Rep. Grace Meng is taking heat for trying to knock off the longtime incumbent — despite not even living in the district.
Chuck Park, a former City Council staffer backed by the far-left Working Families Party, was confronted about his residency at a recent meeting of the Bayside Hills Civic Association, where he admitted he lives just over the line in another district.
“I live one block outside of this district,” Park told the group in a recording of the meeting obtained by The Post.
Property records reviewed by The Post show Park’s Jackson Heights address is two blocks over the line — in fellow lefty Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Queens and Bronx district.
Congress members do not have to live in the districts they represent, only the state.
“I worked at my parents’ store on 74th and Roosevelt in the district, flattening boxes and sweeping sidewalks,” Park continued at the meeting, trying to justify the short-distance-carpetbagging allegations.
“My life was and still is deeply intertwined with this district. Yeah, last redistricting cycle someone drew a border line and cut me out by one block,” he said.
Park’s home had been part of AOC’s and then Rep. Joe Crowley’s district since 2012, then became part of Meng’s Sixth Congressional District for two years for 2022 to 2024 election cycle, then returned to its former district.
“Park’s campaign is built on two things: borrowed slogans and borrowed relevance,” said state Assemblyman Sam Berger (D-Queens), a Meng ally, to The Post.
“The only thing he hasn’t borrowed yet is an address in the district.”
Park acknowledged in an interview with the Queens Daily Eagle last year that he lives outside the district.
The controversy comes as Park is also facing criticism for his past work in the diplomatic service, after previous remarks were uncovered revealing he said he hoped a booted illegal migrant was able to illegally sneak back into the US.
“On the biggest issues facing Queens, Chuck Park was nowhere to be found until he started campaigning,” a rep for Meng told The Post. “Now we’re learning his record includes three years serving the Trump administration … and the fact that he doesn’t even live in the district.
“Who’s the real Chuck Park? We’re not sure he even knows.”
Park defended his bonafides in a statement to The Post, although declined to say if he would commit to relocating if he managed to knock out Meng.
“I’m a proud son of this district, and my commitment is to the families here who are struggling with skyrocketing bills while their current representative takes money from casino lobbyists, ConEdison, and big pharma,” he said. “On June 23, they can vote out corruption and complacency.”
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