Mayor Bloomberg gives $75,000 to PAC created by four dissident Senate Democrats
Billionaire mayor also donates $1 million to Senate Republican Campaign Committee
By Kenneth Lovett / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Tuesday, September 25, 2012, 9:41 PM
Mariela Lombard for New York Daily News
Mayor Bloomberg poured $75,000 into a political action committee
created by Senate Democrats Jeff Klein, Diane Savino, David Valesky and
David Carlucci.
ALBANY — Sensing a potential shift in the state Senate power structure, Mayor Bloomberg pumped $75,000 into a political action committee created by four dissident Democrats who formed their own independent caucus.
But Bloomberg hasn’t given up his longstanding support of the Senate Republicans. He donated a whopping $1 million to the Senate Republican Campaign Committee — the single largest contribution ever made to the Senate GOP. That brings Hizzoner’s total contributions to the Senate Republicans to $3.3 million since 2000.
Both donations are bad news for cash-strapped Senate Democrats as they try to reclaim the majority this fall.
While the hefty donation to the Senate GOP was surprising only in its size, the contribution to the four-member Independent Democratic Caucus is perhaps most telling, insiders say.
A Bloomberg source said the mayor decided to bankroll the renegade faction both because its members support legislation important to the mayor and because he sees the foursome as rising political force in Albany.
The source said the mayor thinks the four — Sens. Jeff Klein (D-Bronx), Diane Savino (D-Staten Island), David Valesky (D-Syracuse) and David Carlucci (D-Rockland) — could act as kingmakers by swinging control of the Senate.
Republicans, who have a 33-29 edge in the Senate, have worked closely with the four for the past two years. But if Democrats pick up the three votes they need to regain the majority, the four could swing the power back to the GOP if their needs aren’t met. klovett@nydailynews.com
But Bloomberg hasn’t given up his longstanding support of the Senate Republicans. He donated a whopping $1 million to the Senate Republican Campaign Committee — the single largest contribution ever made to the Senate GOP. That brings Hizzoner’s total contributions to the Senate Republicans to $3.3 million since 2000.
Both donations are bad news for cash-strapped Senate Democrats as they try to reclaim the majority this fall.
While the hefty donation to the Senate GOP was surprising only in its size, the contribution to the four-member Independent Democratic Caucus is perhaps most telling, insiders say.
A Bloomberg source said the mayor decided to bankroll the renegade faction both because its members support legislation important to the mayor and because he sees the foursome as rising political force in Albany.
The source said the mayor thinks the four — Sens. Jeff Klein (D-Bronx), Diane Savino (D-Staten Island), David Valesky (D-Syracuse) and David Carlucci (D-Rockland) — could act as kingmakers by swinging control of the Senate.
Republicans, who have a 33-29 edge in the Senate, have worked closely with the four for the past two years. But if Democrats pick up the three votes they need to regain the majority, the four could swing the power back to the GOP if their needs aren’t met. klovett@nydailynews.com
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