SBOE Refers Possible Campaign Violations to the Albany County DA

At the meeting of the State Board of Elections (SBOE) earlier today, Commissioners voted to refer possible campaign finance violations involving three campaign committees and 20 corporate donors for exceeding contribution limits to the Albany County District Attorney’s office.  The Board did not identify who it is referring for prosecution, because they have not yet been notified.  SBOE Co-Chair Douglas Kellner said that this is expected to take about three weeks.

Last October, Gov. Cuomo’s Moreland Commission to Investigate Public Corruption grilled three SBOE staffers about the Board’s lack of effective campaign finance law enforcement.  (Read my prior blog post on that public hearing.)  Today’s referral appears to be in response to the Moreland Commission’s criticisms.

Commissioners also discussed Gov. Cuomo’s proposed SBOE budget, which would appropriate $5.3 million for the creation of an independent investigations unit at the Board to support 11 new staff.

Read news coverage of today’s SBOE meeting in Capital Confidential and Capital NY.