Crowley leads BP candidates in fundraising
BY MAX PARROTT
With just over two months
to go before the Queens borough
president special election
on March 24, disclosures
published by the New York
City Campaign Finance Board
(NYCCFB) last week provided
a fiscal snapshot of where each
of the candidates stand.
The filings singled out one
clear breadwinner. Out of the
$284,157 that the candidates
have collectively raked in over
the past six months, former
Ridgewood Councilwoman
Elizabeth Crowley topped the
field in fundraising. She also
boasted the most cash on hand
out of the group.
Councilman Donovan
Richards has done the second
most fundraising over the
past six months, but has only
raised about half as much as
Crowley.
The fundraising totals compiled
by the New York City
Campaign Finance Board over
the past six months from greatest
to least are as follows:
• Crowley has raised
$104,797 since July 15 and
has $219,894 to spend.
• Richards has raised
$58,384 since July 15 and
has $126,758 to spend.
• Retired NYPD sergeant Anthony
Miranda has raised
$39,970 since July 15 and
has $13,768 to spend.
• Dao Yin, a robotics company
executive, has raised
$32,466 and has $8,581 to
spend.
• Councilman Costa Constantinides
raised $19,507
since July 15 and has $14,348
to spend.
• Former Assistant District
Attorney Jim Quinn raised
$11,498 prior to the deadline,
but reportedly has burned
through it all. According to
the filings, he’s in the red by
$632.
• Mapmaker Danniel Maio
cut himself a check for $175
and spent $90 of it, leaving
him $85 in his campaign
coffers.
Since all eight candidates
have opted in to the NYCCFB’s
matching program,
they have agreed not to accept
a donation larger than $750.
Since the legislation dictates
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.28 COM | JAN. 24-JAN. 30, 2020
that they receive 8-1 match
for all donations under this
limit, several candidates have
had to refund large chunks of
their donations.
A few notably large donations
are included in those
refunds, which date back before
the City Council revised
the matching program limits
for special elections over the
summer.
Richards had to refund a
$4,100 of a donation to Taxpayers
for Affordable New York,
a Real Estate Board of New
York-affiliated PAC.
Asked for comment, Richards’
spokesperson did not remark
on the real estate affiliation,
although the councilman
has previously stated publicly
that he doesn’t believe that
his integrity would ever be
compromised by donations
from the real estate industry
— which make up nearly
30 percent of his donations,
according to the Real Deal.
“To ensure compliance
with the campaign finance
board, the excess was returned
to the contributor,” the
spokesperson said.
Several of Crowley’s largest
refunds went back to contributors
associated with J.T.
Magen & Company, a construction
firm that has traditionally
relied on union labor. On Jan.
10, 2019, Robert Scheiman, the
company’s principal and Maurice
Regan, its CEO gave the
campaign $3,950. Anticipating
the matching program limits,
Crowley gave back a total of
$6,400 between those donations.
Crowley distinguished the
construction-related donations
from the real estate industry,
which she has vowed
not to take donations from.
She said the connection goes
back to her union days.
“I’m proud of my roots,”
Crowley told QNS. “Not only
was my union job making
sure that I got paid a fair wage,
my friends who worked with
me 20 years ago are still my
supporters.”
Elizabeth Crowley leads the Queens borough president field in
fundraising and cash on hand. Photo: Max Parrott/QNS
158-06 Northern Boulevard
Flushing, NY 11358
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