Spitzer Doubles War Chest To $3 Million Since July

Although down in the polls, Governor Spitzer has been able to double the size of his political war chest since July, taking in almost $3 million in contributions, according to filings submitted yesterday by his campaign committee to the State Board of Elections.

As the governor heads into what promises to be a stormy budget battle, his campaign committee has $2.9 million in the bank, money that Mr. Spitzer may draw on as he did last year to pay for an ad campaign defending his upcoming spending plan from attacks by interest groups.

About half of the money to Mr. Spitzer came in $5,000 to $10,000 chunks from individual donors and limited liability companies and partnerships.

Seeking to boost his credentials as a reformer, Mr. Spitzer upon taking office imposed on himself a $10,000 ceiling on contributions from individuals, political action committees, and unions. The legal limit in New York is $55,900.

Among Mr. Spitzer's contributors were hedge fund manager William Ackman; actor Edward Norton; short-selling investor James Chanos; Citigroup's political action committee; an LLC associated with the Extell developer Gary Barnett; private equity investor Thomas H. Lee; billionaire Ronald Perelman; the founder and chairman of Barnes & Noble, Leonard Riggio; the New York Mets; and the lobbying firm Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker LLP.

Mr. Spitzer also received a $1,000 donation from Ivanka Trump, the 26-year-old daughter of Donald Trump and a vice president at the Trump Organization. Mr. Trump gave $1,000 to the district attorney of Staten Island, Daniel Donovan.

Mr. Spitzer spent $1.8 million, mostly on political consulting, ad buys, and wages, giving $67,000 of his political cash to the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation.

The speaker of the state Assembly, Sheldon Silver, is sitting on $2.9 million in his campaign account, while the Republican leader of the state Senate, Joseph Bruno, closed out with $1.6 million. New York's comptroller, Thomas DiNapoli, who replaced Alan Hevesi, did not raise a dollar during the filing period, with only $155,000 in his campaign account.

Mr. Bruno's Senate committee is heading into the crucial 2008 legislative races with $3.4 million on hand, far more than the $900,000 the Senate Democratic committee has in the bank.

A Democratic senator of Manhattan, Eric Schneiderman, received $28,500 from the billionaire financier and liberal activist George Soros and his family. The Soros family also gave another Democratic senator, Craig Johnson of Long Island, $28,500.

The Democratic leader of the Senate, Malcolm Smith, spent $1,200 of his campaign cash for two trips to a day spa in Saint Albans, Pamper Me. One excursion was for a staff retreat and the other was reserved for Queens elected officials, a spokesman for Mr. Smith said.

"Indulge yourself in our oasis of tranquility. Our soothing massages will ease your tired muscles. The tantalizing foot reflexology will soothe your achy feet," the spa's Web site states. "Give your hands and feet a warm moisturizing treat. Enjoy a refreshing facial designed to rejuvenate melanized skin. Relax the tense muscles in your neck and shoulders with a chair massage."