New York GOP gubernatorial hopeful Bruce Blakeman was effectively denied millions in matching campaign funds Tuesday by Democrats on a powerful state board over a paperwork technicality.
The party-line, 4-3 vote by the Public Campaign Finance Board disqualifies Blakeman from the state’s campaign finance program and hands Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul – who already has a $20 million lead on her challenger’s war chest – an added advantage in November’s election.
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Democrats on the board dinged Blakeman because his running mate, Madison County Sheriff Todd Hood, never submitted his own paperwork applying for matching funds – a newly created filing requirement.
But board Republicans, in a testy discussion before the vote, argued the Dems were playing petty games.
“Playing gotcha politics with this is frankly disgraceful,” said Republican Public Campaign Finance Board Commissioner Brian Kolb, a former Assembly minority leader.
The board’s anticipated decision was derided by the good government group Reinvent Albany and even the lefty civic group Citizens Union.
Denying Blakeman’s application – which could cost him a combined $7 million in funds – risks undermining the public’s trust, Citizens Union Executive Director Grace Rauh.
“While the Board must guard against fraud and misuse of public funds, the Blakeman matter is not based on such conduct,” she said in a statement.
“Instead he is at risk of being denied public funds because of a filing deficiency that appears to result from confusion, administrative error, or campaign missteps compounded by unclear guidance from Board staff and a recently-approved emergency rule.”
Blakeman’s campaign has already signaled he’ll sue the state over the decision.