Blakeman’s campaign finance mess
MO’ MONEY: Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman has received dozens of contributions surpassing the legal limit in recent months. Blakeman has yet to refund roughly $360,000 to donors who have given to him above the cap, as POLITICO first reported on Monday . Gubernatorial candidates are allowed to raise $9,000 from individuals for each election — so $18,000 if they have both a…
Bruce Blakeman, the Republican gubernatorial candidate in New York, has received numerous donations that exceed the legal limit of $9,000 from individuals. As a result, he must refund roughly $360,000 to donors who gave more than the cap, according to POLITICO. Many of these excess contributions were made early in the election cycle, with some donors giving as much as $18,000 before the primary election was certified on May 13.
Blakeman's campaign has received at least 40 donations above the $9,000 limit since the primary ballot was certified. Some donors, like Eric Sternberg, made multiple contributions that exceed the limit. Blakeman's campaign spokesperson claimed that the large number of donations overwhelmed the state's antiquated campaign finance system, leading to some contributions being counted multiple times.
If all duplicate donations are removed, Blakeman's total contribution would decrease by $292,000, leaving him with a $114,000 deficit. This issue has drawn attention from Democratic officials, who criticize Blakeman for attempting to circumvent campaign finance laws.
Written by urgent.news from POLITICO's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
