Bucks stop with James
Big-time spender in easy elex win
CITY PUBLIC Advocate Letitia James burned through nearly all of the more than $750,000 in taxpayer matching funds in a lopsided race against a poorly funded opponent — spending $500,000 on a single Election Day expenditure, public records show.
James, a Democrat who cruised to reelection over Republican political consultant J.C. Polanco, spent about $1.7 million in total on the race, according to filings with the Campaign Finance Board. She crushed Polanco, her nearest competitor — earning 812,234 votes to his 172,601.
James was widely expected to win her reelection bid — but still filed a statement of need requesting the entire amount of matching funds, citing Polanco as a strong opponent. In doing so, she noted media coverage about the would-be pol — including stories about how little money he had raised.
Candidates are required to return matching funds they do not spend on their race — but James has just $39,018 left in her coffers, meaning the taxpayers will get back little, if anything.
James spent a whopping half-million in one day — Nov. 7, the date of the general election, when she reported the $500,000 payment to Global Strategies Group. Her campaign said the payment was for digital ads that appeared on social media sites, community and ethnic newspaper sites and other news sites — including the Daily News website.
Filing the expense on Election Day meant that it did not have to be reported within 24 hours, as all expenses in the 14 days leading up to the election must. Instead, it became public last week, after a postelection filing deadline. The campaign said it paid the bill as soon as it received it, and didn’t control when the bill came.
If James had not spent down her cash by Election Day, it would have been more difficult to spend — while candidates can pay election-related expenses after the race, those payments are subject to more scrutiny from the Campaign Finance Board.
“Public Advocate James has long championed public campaign financing, so that holding public office is accessible regardless of wealth,” a campaign spokesman said. “She proudly ran a campaign fueled by thousands of small dollar donors from across New York City, and is honored she was reelected for a $980,912 and taking in $567,464 second term.” in matching funds. She spent a
James raised $949,274 in private good chunk of her public dollars funds to qualify for $756,486 — leaving her with a balance of in matching cash. In the leadup $168,819 that she’ll have to to qualifying for the match, she return, minus any postelection received thousands in donations expenses she reports. from members of her staff, The Other beep incumbents facing News previously reported. long-shot challengers opted to
Polanco raised $26,391 in his receive a smaller portion of their bid. He did not qualify for matching match — and, in two cases, have funds. so much cash in their coffers they
City Controller Scott Stringer are likely to return all of it. did not accept matching funds in Bronx Borough President his reelection bid. Both Mayor de Ruben Diaz Jr., for example, Blasio and Republican Nicole raised about $1.4 million in private Malliotakis accepted — and spent funds and received $406,397 — matching funds. in matching funds. Because he
Queens Borough President has a balance of $869,687 in his Melinda Katz, also a Democrat coffers, he’ll almost certainly who cruised to reelection, was have to return his full match. the only incumbent beep to file a Staten Island Borough President statement of need — raising James Oddo raised $129,044 in contributions and took in $215,044 in public funds; after spending around $190,000 on the race he’ll be returning more than $150,000 to the Campaign Finance Board.
Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, another shooin for reelection, raised $115,028 and accepted $209,334 in matching funds — but with a balance of $133,825, much of it will likely be returned.
But Brewer’s campaign appears to have been delinquent in filing disclosures regarding expenses in the days leading up to the general election, when they must be reported daily. An Oct. 26 bill for $65,523.86 wasn’t reported until Nov. 21; an additional $31,530.20 spent on Nov. 1 was reported on Nov. 28.
“Because we ran a scaled-back campaign without a full-time compliance staffer, we didn’t get the paperwork we needed together as quickly as we wanted. We regret the delay,” spokeswoman Jessica Mates said.
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams didn’t participate in the matching funds program.
A spokesman for the Campaign Finance Board said all candidates will be subject to postelection audits of their fund-raising, spending and handling of matching funds.