ALBANY — Attorney General Letitia James, inspite of allegations by her Republican opponent Michael Henry, gave absent to charity most of the campaign contributions that she had received from a Harlem true estate developer who was a short while ago indicted on campaign finance costs.
James’ marketing campaign, in which she was managing for governor right before abandoning that bid, informed the Moments Union in November it prepared to return all of the dollars developer Gerald Migdol and his loved ones contributed to her statewide strategies. The reviews arrived right after Migdol was arrested in link with an alleged straw-donor campaign scheme linked to previous Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin, who also has been indicted on federal rates.
The prison costs relate to Benjamin’s failed election bid for comptroller of New York Metropolis.
Though it seems James only returned $9,000 out of $35,250 her campaigned gained from Migdol, his spouse Sheryl and his son Aaron, the marketing campaign clarified Thursday that the remaining revenue, $26,250 was donated to charity.
James’ marketing campaign returned $4,000 it obtained from the Migdol loved ones in 2021 that it acquired when James announced her candidacy for governor, in accordance to point out Board of Elections data.
In January 2020, James returned a $5,000 donation produced in December 2019 by Migdol the check out experienced bounced, in accordance to the campaign.
The money that was donated to charities, $8,750 to just about every of a few corporations, experienced been been given in filing periods prior to James announcing her transient operate for governor.
The dollars was specified to: New York Cares, which focuses on volunteering for social difficulties Minimal Essentials, which provides guidance for kids in poverty and God’s Love We Deliver, which gives foods to men and women who are much too ill to prepare dinner.
Henry, a New York Town Republican, advised reporters Thursday in Albany that in November, subsequent Migdol’s indictment, she did not “return a dime of the corruption dollars.”
“I’m contacting on the Legal professional Basic Letitia James to publicly, if she has not previously, return all of the money that she gained from Gerald Migdol, his relatives and his group and to have a public accounting to the public to see just how significantly cash she’s been given from him around the many years,” Henry said.
Henry also questioned why James did not open up an investigation into the make a difference relating to Migdol.
“Why did she recognized this cash from Gerald Migdol? And why did she not connect with for any investigations?” Henry said.
About 5 months immediately after Migdol’s indictment, federal prosecutors indicted Benjamin previously this month on bribery and campaign finance prices. The indictment led to Benjamin’s resignation, even though he has pleaded not guilty and indicated he will combat the fees.
Migdol and his spouse and children contributed $111,100 to 25 strategies considering the fact that 2006, in accordance to state data. Most of the income has been offered considering that 2013.
James gained the most of the funds and Harlem Assemblywoman Inez E. Dickens, gained $17,250. Due to the fact 2020, outdoors of James, Dickens and Benjamin, the state Senate Democratic campaign committee received $15,000, which was famous in the federal indictment of Benjamin Manhattan District Lawyer Alvin Bragg been given $1,000.