New York State Board of Elections sent out more than 2,000 letter last month to warn local candidates and fundraising committees across the state that they must file campaign reports with the Albany agency by computer or face legal action, including a $500 fine.
Under a new law that took effect a year ago, any candidate or committee that raises $1,000 or more must file electronic reports with the state. However, the state board only began enforcing the law with this year’s Jan 15 filing, after getting lists from local boards of candidates and committees which had been filing locally.
Since the letter went out last month, the bulk of candidates and committees have complied. However the state board filed a show-cause order in state Supreme court Thursday against 350 foot-draggers who have yet to obey the new law.
Among those included in the legal action are 13 candidates and committees from Long Island, including: Friends of Peter Schmitt, the committee for the Nassau Legislature’s minority leader; People for Jimmy Dahroug, a committee for the aide to Suffolk County executive Steve Levy who ran two losing campaigns for state Senate, and Friends of Darlene Harris, the the committee for the former Nassau Republican lawmaker who ran for judge.
Rick Brand
Ed Ward, a spokesman for Schmitt, said he believes Schmitt filed locally but was unaware of the court action. Ward added: “I’m sure we’ll file. We just have to track it down.”
The new law is important not just to make sure all fundraising committees are posted electronically with the state, but to give officials for the first time the ability to track corporate donations which by state law are limited to $5,000 a year for all candidates. “You don’t get a full picture until you have all the county filers,” said the state board’s spokesman, Lee Daghlian.