By Hank Russell
The New York State Democratic Committee has accused Nassau County Executive and GOP gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman of illegally trying to obtain matching funds with money he raised outside the state of New York — a violation of the state’s election law.
The Democrats pointed to a story from New York Focus which, according to the outlet, reported that Blakeman sought to obtain more than $860,000 that he was not eligible for. That was because the donors were from out of state. One of the larger donors was Brock Pierce, a former child actor and presidential candidate and currently an entrepreneur, who gave $9,000 to Blakeman’s campaign and listed an address in Puerto Rico.
Blakeman also took approximately 200 one-dollar donations from Kansas, Oklahoma and West Virginia, the article stated. New York Focus noted that the campaign filings “wrongly stated that these donations were from ‘in-district’ donors.”
According to New York’s election law, “matchable contributions” are contributions that are “made by a natural person who is a resident in the state of New York to a participating candidate.”
Blakeman has previously applied for matching funds, but in March, the Public Campaign Finance Board voted against Blakeman being qualified to receive such financing due to a technicality in his paperwork. Two months later, a state Supreme Court judge vacated the board’s decision.
“Bruce Blakeman deserves consequences for his attempt to take nearly $1 million in taxpayer money he wasn’t entitled to under state law,” said NYS Democratic Committee Chairman Jay Jacobs. “The fact that no New Yorkers actually want to support him is his problem — Blakeman submitted donations from out of state to qualify him for money he didn’t deserve. It’s unethical, it may be illegal, and it’s yet another reason why he can never be governor.”
Committee spokesperson Addison Dick referred to the county executive as “Bruce Fakeman,” adding that he is “trying to pass off out of state support as New York momentum, fake AI slop commercials, fake government mailers to ask for money, fake support from a stand-up comedian whose video he stole, fake endorsements from ‘real New Yorkers’ who actually work for Republicans. At some point you have to ask: why is it so hard for Bruce Blakeman to find New Yorkers who actually like him?”
Long Island Life & Politics reached out to the Blakeman campaign for comment. A spokesperson said, “The campaign amended reports and anticipates drawing down the final $1.2 million next week.”