With a month left to Primary Day, the Democratic front-runner for governor, Eliot Spitzer, has nearly eight times more money in his campaign treasury than rival Thomas Suozzi, the Nassau County executive.
Spitzer, the state attorney general, had $14 million as of Monday, said his spokeswoman. Suozzi had $1.8 million, according to a finance report that he filed Friday with the state Board of Elections.
The candidates’ fundraising was equally lopsided from July 12 to Aug. 7, with Spitzer raising $1.1 million and Suozzi $128,975. The gap in spending was narrower; Spitzer’s bills totaled $3.5 million for the period while Suozzi’s were $1.1 million.
The race is much tighter among the Democrats who are fighting to succeed Spitzer as attorney general.
James T. Madore
Former federal housing secretary Andrew Cuomo had $6.1 million as of last Monday, said his spokeswoman, compared with $1.6 million for rival Mark Green.
Cuomo raised $545,000 from July 12 to Aug. 7, compared with $100,584 for Green, according to his campaign finance report. The Cuomo campaign could not immediately provide spending figures. Green reported spending $375,694.
Candidate Sean Patrick Maloney had $341,668 on hand after spending more than $242,160. He raised about $25,000 during the past 3 1/2 weeks. Rockland County lawyer Charlie King hadn’t filed his campaign finance report as of press time. A spokeswoman said he raised about $110,000.
Comments (14)
spitzer is also ahead in having newspapers in his pocket, ah let me see, oh yeah newsday to name one. also spitzer is way way ahead in having people scared to come out and endorse suozzi instead of him. tom suozzi is way ahead in grass roots approach to this election. he has spoken to more people upclose and personal than spitzer would ever do. the reason, its because he wont debate suozzi again and risk having to explain what he is really about. what a sad state we live in when people are shut out of hearing both candiates sides of the issuesw because of a) fundraising b) newspaper scandells and backroom deals, and last but not least c) a candidtae with a 60-70 point lead AFRAID to debate the issues upstate ny. sorry spitzer fans, he didnt work for this at all. it was handed to him( maybe)
I keep reading about this newsday scandel. what are you talking about? Our attorny general is mr. clean, he would never cut a backroom deal. im voting for spitzer. All your talk of a scandel is crazy. Let me see the article you been writing about for a week now. I doubt i'll see one.
u want it, u got it curious dem. Letter From The Publisher
Jed Morey 08/04/2005 12:02 am
Jed Morey
As you might know, the parent company of this newspaper also owns three Long Island radio stations. We are quite proud of our position as the only remaining private, locally owned family business in Long Island radio. We're accessible to and caring toward our community, and have been, throughout our 18 years of doing business on the Island. So I'm particularly perturbed by the actions of New York State Attorney General Elliot Spitzer and his recent quixotic crusade against radio.
The radio industry is being eaten alive by competition such as satellite broadcasting, the iPod and even the government. An overzealous FCC has broadcasters pulling back the reins on talent, forcing radio personalities into outer space—from where they reappear, uncensored, via satellite that can be hooked up through your FM radio dial. So much for oversight.
Critics have been prophesying the death of radio since the invention of television, and yet radio will survive through this latest barrage of competition and remain standing, albeit marginalized. But now Spitzer has introduced a further twist, in an attempt to corner an already beleaguered radio industry.
The scandals of old that put payola on the map were of a more insidious nature than what is currently being investigated, and for Spitzer to draw comparisons is a joke. In the '60s, program directors and disc jockeys were fined or sent to prison for taking cash and cocaine in return for airplay. Pretty bad stuff. Spitzer is equating this with giving promotional trips to radio listeners in return for "spins" of Céline Dion. This is like comparing apples with hand grenades.
In trying to make an example of the media by going after the radio industry, Spitzer is exploiting the office of attorney general for his own political gain. It's a great strategy for the would-be governor: Attack the media to appear as though you don't care about the repercussions on your career, such as endorsements or even coverage. And what a safe way to do it. Payola is nebulous enough not to really anger big-time media people, but is scary enough to straighten out any wrongdoers. Now let's examine radio's actions next to another media scandal.
Newsday has thrown away 100,000 to 130,000 newspapers every single day for years—sometimes in environmentally sensitive areas. They lie about the extent of the fraud to their advertisers, create elaborate computer programs and schemes to cover it up, bully small bodega owners into disposing of old records showing fraudulent billing calculations, and force carriers to pay for deceased or nonexistent subscribers. By its own admission, Newsday has set aside $90 million for screwing over advertisers, and is being investigated by nearly every state and federal agency with any sort of purview over its operation—all, of course, except the New York State Attorney General's Office. Sorry, people of Long Island, the attorney general is otherwise occupied right now, making sure an extra Queens of the Stone Age spin wasn't traded for a pair of hockey tickets somewhere in the United States. That's our crusader.
The Long Island Press documented a meeting between Spitzer and many of the now-notorious characters in the Newsday scandal where Newsday employees emerged from the meeting "relieved," according to a witness. Call me cynical, but this just tells me that Boy Wonder is more worried about the famous Newsday editorial board retribution than he is about uncovering the truth about any real wrongdoing.
Here's the part I find really amusing: Spitzer is likely to face stiffer competition in a gubernatorial primary from Tom Suozzi than he will from anyone in the general election. For those of you not keeping score on Newsday's likes and dislikes, Spitzer has as good a chance of beating Suozzi for Newsday's endorsement as President Bush has of getting Al Franken to propose a third presidential term.
When you're a fan of the political process, as I am, you're rarely surprised by the actions of any politician. But, ultimately, I guess I feel duped. Wasn't this pol supposed to be a cut above the rest? Hasn't that been the rap on this guy? It's as if I just peeked behind the curtain and got a look at the wizard.
i am very amused by the proposition set forth by "the tangled web" that tom suozzi is way ahead in grass roots support for his run for the democratic nod to run for governor--this is based on tom being 60 or 70 points behind, or is it based on the fact that the money is drying up because all the nassau vendors are tapped out, or is it based on the fact that even newsday can't pump life back into the failed suozzi bid--let me suggest to you that no sane man would do what tom suozzi is doing now--does his actions seem like a person who is in complete charge of their facilties--i am beginning to wonder
tom suozzi is a man that belives in what hes doing. Anyone else would have quit a long time ago. Tom Suozzi is not a quitter, hes a winner despite the poll numbers. I havent been called yet,thats for sure. If he gave up like u suggest mr. greene, then tom dinapoli(who?) would be nassau county executive. if more politicans had the heart and drive mr suozzi had, we wouldnt be reading ludicrious comments from individuals like yourself. Your a loser mr greene!
What have you been smoking greene? Newsday helping out suozzi? are you for real? Read and learn about the attorney generals(your man) backroom deal with newsday. Tom Suozzi is the only man with the "guts" to tell albany its broken. i echo your words suozzi fan.
wow, i just read the editorial and i see what this greene guy says. i have to be honest, i was called and i said spitzer, but after reading about that scandel and hearing what people like greene say, i give suozzi lots of credit. what can i do to help suozzi fan?
hey mr. greene im a spitzer supporter, but you have to watch what you say about tom suozzi. hes a class act. just because he wants to be govenor doesnt mean hes crazy. i give him credit. hes not a quiter,thats for sure. your words may turn people towards suozzi, watch out.
you can write all your friends and family and tell them to vote for tom suozzi. mention the newsday scangel and backroom deal by mr. spitzer, mention to any of your friends that may be new york state teachers that the their union is backing eliot spitzer yet on a live tv debate , the attonry general said private schools are better than public schools, and just tell everyone you see your changing your vote to suozzi because of the ignorance you read on these newsday blogs headed by mr. greene. thats a good grassroots approach.
ELLIOT WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ON THE SCANDAL AT FERRY POINT PARK WHERE TAXPAYERS WERE FLEECED OUT OF 7 MIL. AS MAFIA GANGSTERS MAKE TAXFREE MILLIONS. SEE NY DAILY NEWS 8-14-05 "BIG GOLF MESS SUITS MOB TO A TEE"
MANY HAVE ASKED FOR YOUR HELP YOU DID NOTHING!!!!
What are you guys smoking? There wasn't a secret deal between Newsday and Spitz. Eliot never had jurisdiction and if he did, he clearly got bigfooted by the feds, along with Spota and Dillon. A dozen or so people have been indicted and plead guilty to fraud. Read on from Newsday, May 27, 2006:
BY ROBERT E. KESSLER AND JAMES T. MADORE
Staff Writers
Six more people, including four former newspaper executives, have pleaded guilty to taking part in a scheme to inflate the circulations of Newsday and its Spanish-language sister publication Hoy.
Five of the six each pleaded guilty Friday in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn to a single count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud. The sentences could run roughly between 4 and 20 years in prison.
A sixth person, another former Newsday executive, pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge Monday in Brooklyn.
Newsday has acknowledged inflating its circulation by nearly 100,000 copies on weekdays and Sundays; Hoy falsely doubled its circulation.The scheme occurred between 2000 and 2004, according to prosecutors. Among the methods used were counting as paid copies those dumped in landfills or delivered to people who didn't subscribe.
Tribune Co., which owns both papers, has set aside $90 million to reimburse advertisers who were overcharged by paying for nonexistent circulation as a result of the scheme.
The pleas Friday and Monday make a total of nine people who have so far pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud in connection with the circulation scandal.
The five who pleaded guilty Friday were:
Richard Czark, 54, now living in South Carolina, former senior vice president for circulation at Hoy. He previously held various advertising and circulation jobs at Newsday.
Robert Garcia, 43, of Queens Village, former sales and distribution manager for Hoy and before that circulation manager for Newsday in New York City.
Dennis Springer, 54, of Lindenhurst, former home delivery manager on Long Island for Newsday and Hoy.
John Faiella, 55, of Mamaroneck, operator of two Suffolk County newspaper delivery companies, RJF, Inc. and Faiella Delivery Systems, hired by Newsday to distribute papers.
Gustavo Acosta, 41, head of Acosta News, of Hackensack, N.J., a distributor of Hispanic periodicals. He previously had pleaded guilty but had to re-enter a plea because of technical problems, sources said.
The five and their attorneys as well as federal prosecutors declined to comment Friday.
On Monday, Dorothy McKillop, 46, of Holtsville, former director of single-copy sales on Long Island for Newsday, pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge. Her attorney could not be reached for comment.
The three who have previously pleaded guilty are Louis Sito, 61, the former No. 2 business executive at Newsday and later vice president for Hispanic media at Tribune Co.; Robert Brennan, who is in his mid-50s, of Babylon, former Newsday vice president for circulation; and Ed Smith, 66, of Hicksville, an independent consultant for Newsday circulation.
Based on their role in the scheme and the part of the $90- million loss for which they were responsible, the nine could face as little as 4 years, 3 months or as much as 19 years, 7 months in prison under the federal sentencing guidelines. But sources familiar with the case caution those are preliminary estimates and do not take into account reductions for cooperation with authorities and the views of the sentencing judge.
Newsday spokeswoman Deidra Parrish Williams said, "Newsday terminated the employment of Mr. Springer, Mr. Garcia and Ms. McKillop in 2004 as a result of information uncovered regarding circulation practices. Newsday also terminated the services of independent contractors Mr. Faiella and Mr. Acosta. We have cooperated with the authorities in every way possible from the outset of their investigation and will continue to do so."
it is hard to rationalize why tom suozzi is still in this race-- his refusal to accept reality should cause people to question tom's judgement-about this and other issues--i think his decision to stay in the race is not a tribute to his bravery, but to his inability to process information in a reasoned and sane manner---his actions are not one of of a political insider-which he is-or those of a hack being supported by newsday( until yesterday)-but the act of a man who can't grasp reality--sad to watch somebody coming unglued--i suppose all the sunlight beaming in on tom's action have had a negative effect on his thought process
Lets talk about your thought process mr greene. Why are you and so many "haters" of tom suozzi still asking him to back out? Let the election run its course and if all holds up by the polls, then ur rid of him. But for you and everyone else to tell him to quit, ur the losers and quiters. If everyone had a negative attitute like "you", this country would be in a bigger mess than it is now. I admire tom suozzi for his "fight" for the people of new york state. At every chance "you" and ur pal "newsday" take pot shots at him . It seems that to you and your buddy newsday, aspirations are a "crime". Instead of critising him for running for governor, you should thank him for bringing major issues to the table that would have been unheard of without him. You must be a big insider that wants "no" change because you like things just the way they are now. Tom Suozzi is fighting for the little guy that you like to step on because you just dont care about anyone but urself! Hes not dropping out, despite you and every other haters wishes , so chill man and tell your pal "cool dude" duh, no kidding, newsday was supposed to terminate people that work for them that break the law. Every successful business must get rid of bad empolyees. And in newsdays case, cutting a deal with the attorny general saved their butts from further scandel.
Any accusations of a secret deal between Spitzer and and Newsday are not just false; they're stupid.
Newsday's wrongdoers were pursued via the appropriate jurisdiction. They'll do their time.
The Newsday editorial board was, itself, outraged over the crimes of those on the business side, and want very much to see them punished.
The news division at Newsday covered the scandal as they would have with any external organization: with full zeal.
These Suozzi toadies will grasp at anything.
Now, while I'm very very pro-Spitzer, and think Suozzi has made himself look somewhat silly with the way he has conducted his campaign, it is HIS campaign. He shouldn't have to drop out just because he has no chance to win. It would probably be smarter for him to drop out, but he's hurting no one by staying in the race (other than his Nassau constituents...but that's just temporary). He probably hasn't even killed his political future, although it has been seriously damaged in the short term.
If he ever learns humility, he'll be back. Despite his maturity shortcomings, he has a ton of talent. Hopefully, he'll remember how to put it to use for Nassau again. He sure has been screwing us these past few months. And, when we need something from the State over the next few years, maybe he should keep a low profile.
The next county exec will either be Kate Murray, Ed Mangano, Howard Weitzman or Jon Kaiman. Any one of the four will do just fine and will be able to restore Nassau's relationship with NYS and remediate the damage Suozzi has done.