Spitzer Solicits Campaign Money Ahead of Filing
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
ALBANY – Looking to impress the news media and possibly scare off potential opponents for the 2006 governor’s race, state Attorney General Eliot Spitzer is pleading for a quick infusion of political donations in advance of required financial filings due soon.
Mr. Spitzer, a Democrat who gained international attention with investigations of Wall Street brokers, mutual fund executives, and the insurance industry, announced in early December that he would run for governor.
“Twice a year, we must file fund-raising reports with the NYS Board of Elections showing campaign contributions raised and cash-on-hand,” the managing director of the Spitzer 2006 campaign committee, Cindy Darrison, wrote in an e-mail sent to potential donors last week. “These all-important reports are scrutinized by the media and potential opponents looking to gauge Eliot’s strength as a candidate.”
“We need your help NOW,” Ms. Darrison wrote in the e-mail, a copy of which was obtained by the Associated Press. As of July 15, when the last filings were submitted, Mr. Spitzer’s campaign committee had $5.3 million on hand. Last month, the millionaire attorney general staged a $1,000-a-person luncheon fund-raiser in New York City that raised about $2.8 million, according to aides.
Ms. Darrison told the AP in an interview late last week that the new filing would show the Spitzer campaign with at least $7.5 million on hand.
The Spitzer campaign aide noted in her e-mail that the cutoff for registering donations for the new filing was January 11. She suggested people log onto Mr. Spitzer’s Web site,www.spitzer2006.com,to contribute.
“Please consider making a contribution of $50 right now,” she wrote. “If 2,000 people contribute $50 each in the next seven days, we will raise another $100,000 through the Web site.”
Mr. Spitzer also has a $200-a-person “Women for Spitzer” fund-raising luncheon today at The Pierre. Ms. Darrison said the actress Linda Fiorentino would be hosting the event. Tonight, the attorney general is holding a $50-aperson “Young Professionals for Spitzer” event at a trendy Manhattan club, Spirit.
