When you can't use the loophole, create a new one

From the Daily News:

In the past nine years, Bloomberg has given almost $6.3 million to Republican and Independence housekeeping accounts. That's an awful lot of day-to-day expenses, but his lawyers are confident that the loophole is legal.

Much of the cash went to try to keep the state Senate in the hands of Republicans, who were Bloomberg's reliable allies when they held the majority.

In 2008, though, Bloomberg pumped his $1.35 million for Republicans through the Independence Party housekeeping account.

Much of the money went to the same consultants and advisers who were working on his push to extend term limits at the same time - and who have never explained how they were compensated for their services.

The next year, Bloomberg's $1.3 million for the Independence Party was supposed to help fund a $750,000 poll-watching operation on Election Day. Not all of the cash ended up there, however, and campaign aide John Haggerty hasn't explained where it went.

If Bloomberg can't use an Independence Party housekeeping account this year, though, the Democratic and Republican accounts may not be as easily plied.

Bloomberg has said he is willing to support friends in both parties, singling out Staten Island District Attorney Dan Donovan's Republican run for attorney general as well as Democratic Long Island Sen. Craig Johnson.

But if he gives big bucks to their respective parties, his cash could just end up battling itself.

The state's campaign finance laws are supposed to protect elections from the influence of rich guys who want their friends to win. Bloomberg has found loopholes to get around it before. He simply has to find new ones now.