With little more than a week to go before the Democratic primary for New York mayor, outside groups have poured $3 million into supporting and opposing their preferred candidates, according to the most current figures through Sunday.
The effect of those expenditures is being closely watched, because this is the first citywide election in which outside groups, like corporations and unions, have had an opportunity to spend unlimited amounts on campaigns in the wake of the United States Supreme Court’s decision in the Citizens United case.
And with the majority of candidates abiding by tight spending caps in exchange for participating in the city’s matching-fund program, any significant outside financing, especially for political ads and mailings, could make a difference.
In the race for mayor, for instance, all the major Democratic contenders are participating in the program, which allows the campaigns to spend $6.7 million in the primary.
So far, William C. Thompson Jr., a former city comptroller, has benefited from $1.55 million in outside money, making him the biggest beneficiary, by far, of such support, according to detailed records cataloged by the city’s Campaign Finance Board. Much of the money has been spent on palm cards, radio commercials and mailers, thanks to a group affiliated with the United Federation of Teachers, which has endorsed Mr. Thompson.
New York City is Not for Sale, a group of animal-rights activists and others who are vehemently opposed to the candidacy of Christine C. Quinn, the City Council speaker, have spent $774,000. They were the first outside groups to spend money on a television commercial criticizing a candidate, and many political analysts say their relentless campaign has hurt Ms. Quinn.
Ms. Quinn, in fact, is the only mayoral candidate who has been the target of outside spending.
Some of that opposition, however, may have been blunted by $657,000 from outside groups that support Ms. Quinn. Of that amount, about $610,000 has been spent on English and Spanish-language materials by a group connected with the Hotel Trades Council, which has endorsed Ms. Quinn.
Locally, we have this:
Jobs for New York, Inc.: independent expenditures of $7,755 since 8/5 opposing Chrissy Vosckerichian @electchrissy #FilingDay
— NYC Campaign Finance (@NYCCFB) September 1, 2013
Jobs for New York, Inc.: independent expenditures of $21,003 since 8/5 opposing Austin Shafran @Austin4Council #FilingDay
— NYC Campaign Finance (@NYCCFB) September 1, 2013
Jobs for New York, Inc.: independent expenditures of $16,238 since 8/5 opposing Paul Graziano @PaulGraziano19 #FilingDay
— NYC Campaign Finance (@NYCCFB) September 1, 2013
Jobs for New York, Inc.: independent expenditures of $105,885 since 8/5 supporting Paul Vallone@PaulVallone #FilingDay
— NYC Campaign Finance (@NYCCFB) September 1, 2013
Jobs for New York, Inc.: independent expenditures of $5,251 on 8/31 opposing John Ciafone #DailyFiling - http://t.co/icfNwiAo21
— NYC Campaign Finance (@NYCCFB) September 2, 2013
Jobs for New York, Inc.: independent expenditures of $24,999 since 8/5 supporting Costa Constantinides @VoteCosta #FilingDay
— NYC Campaign Finance (@NYCCFB) September 1, 2013
Planned Parenthood of NYC Political Cmte: ind expenditures of $3,895 since 8/5 supporting Melinda Katz @MelindaKatz #FilingDay
— NYC Campaign Finance (@NYCCFB) September 1, 2013
12 comments:
The bad guys already have Paul Vallone in their pocket. Don't vote Vallone he will sell us to the highest bidder. Look around you people, most homeowners in this district still have yards, lawns, trees and space. Now look at Astoria. We are prime for the developers and Paul V. is in their pocket. I don't want to wake up in Astoria. Do you ?????? Save our neighborhood from over development and over crowding don't vote for stinky Vallone.
The law that created the City's Campaign Finance rules and passed by the City Council, allows these organizations, whether they are pro-developers or pro-unions, to legally donate to politicians who agree with their points of view. Maybe repugnant, but not illegal.
Then talk to the posters on this website that are for Peter Vallone.
Peter, not Paul, is responsible for the state Astoria is in.
Hasn't it been proven that the Vallones are the lobbyists behind the over-development of Queens?
Who votes for them? Why is every small business displaying a Vallone sign?
Vote for Graziano - it's a vote for front lawns and trees!
Graziano will get my vote. As for Quinn, please don't vote for her. She circumvented the will of the people on term limits. She thinks she's entitled to the job of mayor, since she kissed Bloomberg's ass and gave him a third term. Anyone but Quinn. Weiner is starting to look good to me.
MELINDA KATZ destroyed Curtis Sliwa's marriage. She is a disgrace. Big puta.
Katz - a home wrecker.
Stinky should be on the Limburger ballot. The worst smelling piece of cheese out there.
Then talk to the posters on this website that are for Peter Vallone.
Peter, not Paul, is responsible for the state Astoria is in.
The Vallones - plural - are responsible for the state Astoria is in. Period.
Peter Vallone(s) Sr. & Jr. have both cashed in on Astoria, just like Charles did in the previous generation. Paul was planning to do the same - remember, he was voting there until 2006 and sat on CB1 - until the term limits were extended and the whole dynasty thing got messed up for him.
Paul Vallone not only has helped developers in northeast Queens get zoning changes and variances at Community Board 7 where he's voted on them again and again - like Graziano said last night in the NY1 debate - but he's lobbied for convicted felons with Daddy's firm on contaminated properties on the Whitestone waterfront.
And, just to rub it in, he doesn't even care about illegal development right down the street from his own house - one house by Bowne Park last month, and literally around the corner on 172nd Street, which was stopped by local civic groups last week, not Paul Vallone.
I've seen posters on QC talk about supporting Paul Vallone because "he won't shit in his own backyard."
Based on his recent actions - or lack of concern for stuff going on around the block from his house - I beg to differ.
What, you dont want the "honor and privilege" (his words, not mine) of having a vallone as councilman in district 19? Shocking!
I want a mayor who doesn't cater to immigrants and who is against illegal immigration!!
Jobs for NY support seems to mirror machine support. I would not be surprised that if their donations are looked at it might tie in nicely with the nod from Joe Crowley.
Bears a search with someone that has the infor!
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