Last-minute money floods mayoral campaigns

Posted September 3, 2013 By Laura Nahmias

The 11th-hour donations are flooding in just days before New York City’s Sept. 10 primary elections.

Disclosures filed with the New York State Board of Elections show New York City Democratic mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio has raised more than $75,000 in amounts of more than $1,000 in the five days since an August 28 Quinnipiac poll showed him leading the other contenders in the mayoral contest by a wide margin.

Maurice Greenberg, former head of the insurance giant AIG, is a recent donor to the mayoral campaign of Joe Lhota. AP Photo/Mark Lennihan

The day after the poll’s release, de Blasio’s campaign committee took in at least $29,775 in donations from 13 contributors. The Board of Elections requires campaigns to report donations of more than $1,000 within 24 hours, if they’re made in the 10 days leading prior to a race.

Republican mayoral candidate Joe Lhota received $10,950 in donations larger than $1,000 this week, including one donation from Maurice “Hank” Greenberg, the former chairman and CEO of AIG, who donated, $4,950, the maximum amount allowed under the city’s campaign finance laws. Late Tuesday, New York Observer’s Politicker reported that a pro-Lhota PAC called “New Yorkers for Proven Leadership” received two $145,050 donations from conservative businessman and philanthropist David Koch and his wife Julia.

Other mayoral candidates raked in money too. Bill Thompson’s campaign committee took in $53,450 from 15 contributors. Hotel Workers For A Stronger Middle Class, an independent committee that has spent on behalf of Council Speaker Christine Quinn, took in $305,000.

A committee registered last week called “People for a Better New York” took in $129,799 from two public-sector unions: AFSCME and Local 1549 NYC Clerical Administrative Employees. AFSCME’s local unions endorsed city mayoral candidate John Liu, who was denied $3.5 million in matching funds by the city’s campaign finance board. Crain’s reported late last week that People for a Better New York plans to spend on Liu’s behalf.

Two wealthy candidates self-funding their campaigns also wrote themselves large last-minute checks. Republican mayoral candidate John Catsimatidis gave his campaign committee $1 million last week. And in the comptroller’s race, Democratic candidate Eliot Spitzer donated $1.2 million of his own money to his fiercely-fought race against Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer.

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<h1>Last-minute money floods mayoral campaigns</h1><p>The 11th-hour donations are flooding in just days before New York City’s Sept. 10 primary elections.</p>
<p>Disclosures filed with the New York State Board of Elections show New York City Democratic mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio has raised more than $75,000 in amounts of more than $1,000 in the five days since an <a onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.quinnipiac.edu/institutes-and-centers/polling-institute/new-york-city/release-detail?ReleaseID=1944');"  href="http://www.quinnipiac.edu/institutes-and-centers/polling-institute/new-york-city/release-detail?ReleaseID=1944">August 28 Quinnipiac poll</a> showed him leading the other contenders in the mayoral contest by a wide margin.</p>
<div id="attachment_12136" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-12136" class="size-medium wp-image-12136" alt="Maurice Greenberg, former head of the insurance giant AIG, is a recent donor to the mayoral campaign of Joe Lhota. AP Photo/Mark Lennihan" src="http://www.thenewyorkworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/greenberg-300x169.jpg" width="300" height="169" srcset="thenewyorkworld.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/greenberg-300x169.jpg 300w, thenewyorkworld.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/greenberg-352x198.jpg 352w, thenewyorkworld.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/greenberg-500x281.jpg 500w, thenewyorkworld.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/greenberg.jpg 568w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><p id="caption-attachment-12136" class="wp-caption-text">Maurice Greenberg, former head of the insurance giant AIG, is a recent donor to the mayoral campaign of Joe Lhota. AP Photo/Mark Lennihan</p></div>
<p>The day after the poll’s release, de Blasio’s campaign committee took in at least $29,775 in donations from 13 contributors. The Board of Elections requires campaigns to report donations of more than $1,000 within 24 hours, if they’re made in the 10 days leading prior to a race.</p>
<p>Republican mayoral candidate Joe Lhota received $10,950 in donations larger than $1,000 this week, including one donation from Maurice “Hank” Greenberg, the former chairman and CEO of AIG, who donated, $4,950, the maximum amount allowed under the city’s campaign finance laws. Late Tuesday, New York Observer’s <a onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/politicker.com/2013/09/koch-family-sinks-big-money-into-new-pro-lhota-pac/');"  href="http://politicker.com/2013/09/koch-family-sinks-big-money-into-new-pro-lhota-pac/">Politicker reported</a> that a pro-Lhota PAC called “New Yorkers for Proven Leadership” received two $145,050 donations from conservative businessman and philanthropist David Koch and his wife Julia.</p>
<p>Other mayoral candidates raked in money too. Bill Thompson’s campaign committee took in $53,450 from 15 contributors. Hotel Workers For A Stronger Middle Class, an independent committee that has spent on behalf of Council Speaker Christine Quinn, took in $305,000.</p>
<p>A committee registered last week called “People for a Better New York” took in $129,799 from two public-sector unions: AFSCME and Local 1549 NYC Clerical Administrative Employees. AFSCME’s local unions endorsed city mayoral candidate John Liu, who was denied $3.5 million in matching funds by the city’s campaign finance board. Crain’s<a onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20130830/BLOGS04/130839987');"  href="http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20130830/BLOGS04/130839987"> reported</a> late last week that People for a Better New York plans to spend on Liu’s behalf.</p>
<p>Two wealthy candidates self-funding their campaigns also wrote themselves large last-minute checks. Republican mayoral candidate John Catsimatidis gave his campaign committee $1 million last week. And in the comptroller’s race, Democratic candidate Eliot Spitzer donated $1.2 million of his own money to his fiercely-fought race against Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer.</p>
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