Continuing his fight against congestion pricing, Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-Wyckoff) has teamed up with a New York congressman to introduce legislation that would defund a car and driver for the CEO of the Metropolitan Transit Authority, Janno Lieber.

Gottheimer and Rep. Anthony D’Esposito (R-New York) allege that Lieber, an architect of the congestion pricing plan, uses a taxpayer-funded car to travel within New York City rather than use the mass transportation system he runs.

”Janno Lieber seems to think he’s above it all: above reproach, above oversight, and frankly, above the law,” Gottheimer said.   

They claim Lieber’s government vehicle would be exempt from the congestion pricing, making him immune to his own $15-per-day, $4,000-per-year congestion tax.

Now the two House members, a Democrat and a Republican, are seeking congressional approval of a law that would prohibit Lieber from using federal funds to pay for his private car until he drops the congestion pricing plan.

Gottheimer’s bill is largely symbolic – it has little chance of passing both houses and getting Joe Biden’s signature – but he’s continuing to get under Lieber’s skin.

“Congressman D’Esposito and I are putting a stop to the MTA’s ‘for thee and not for me’ refrain once and for all. We’re introducing new bipartisan legislation today that will prohibit the MTA from using federal funds to chauffeur around the MTA’s CEO in his taxpayer-funded car,” Gottheimer says.  Let’s stop the Congestion Tax double standard.”

Lieber frequently takes the subway to work from his Brooklyn home but uses a car and driver to move about the city during the day, and to evening functions.