The Democratic leaders of the State Assembly can’t wait to get back to Albany and hold a fancy fundraiser before they even start the 2024 legislative session and try to solve problems like the migrant crisis, crime, or New York’s ridiculously high cost of living.
Speaking for Speaker Carl Heastie and the Democratic Assembly Campaign Committee (DACC), the fundraiser will take place at the Renaissance Albany Hotel on January 8, just down the hill from the state Capitol. This is the night before Gov. Kathy Hochul gives the State of the State address, which is usually the first thing that happens during the new legislative session.
“You are cordially invited to accompany NYS Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie to a reception in the evening in support of the Democratic Assembly Campaign Committee.” The DACC’s executive director, David Waterman, sent an email to lawmakers and other donors saying, “We hope you can join us.”
Tickets cost between $1,000 and $25,000 each. The honorary chair is Heastie. Co-chairs of the DACC, Assembly members Jeffrey Dinowitz of the Bronx and Pamela Hunter of Syracuse, are also named on the letter. Upon receiving the invitation, one shocked experienced lobbyist said that the early pressure on donors was too much, especially since it was the holiday season.
“All right, child. “I have to go to a DACC fundraiser, so I can’t give you an iPhone,” the person joked. Next fall, all 211 seats in the Assembly and Senate are up for re-election, and politicians usually hold a lot of fundraisers while the government is in session.
The head of one government watchdog group said that lobbyists and their clients who do business with the state are put on the spot. “I’d use the word ‘tithing,'” Executive Director of Reinvent Albany John Kaehny said, comparing it to someone giving a portion of their income to the church.
The people who were invited won’t be able to participate in the talk if they don’t pay the Assembly. “There you have it,” Kaehny said. He also said that lawmakers are trying to weaken the law that teaches candidates that they should depend on $250 donations instead of big donations of thousands of dollars to get public matching funds.
Highbury has not yet done anything about the plan. Caehny explained that the DACC event helps protect leaders running for re-election because the party’s campaign system has much higher limits on how much money can be given to campaigns.
NY Assembly Democrats hit up donors with early fundraiser before start of ‘24 session https://t.co/z1LboGP9zy pic.twitter.com/w6CXUx0XMm
— New York Post (@nypost) December 11, 2023
He explained, “It makes sense that the DACC is starting early because Democratic Assembly incumbents are worried that the new public matching program will help challengers.” Donations to the DACC are unlimited for administrative costs and $138,500 per person per election term for other costs.
Participants in the challenge can only give a total of $6,000 in gifts for the primary and general elections. Denis Dinowitz, co-chair of the DACC, said the early benefit was normal. It was “just a coincidence,” he said, that the DACC fundraiser is being held the night before Hochul’s yearly address and that important people will be there.
Dinowitz said, “Two things are not related.” “The time doesn’t matter. I don’t think it matters when a fundraiser takes place. Persons would be upset if a fundraiser happened close to when the budget was approved, Dinowitz said. Furthermore, “unfortunately,” he said, “campaigns run costs money.”
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