Melinda Katz and Tiffany Cabán.
July 17, 2019 Staff Report
Public defender Tiffany Cabán out-raised Queens Borough President Melinda Katz by more than $171,270 as their contentious Queens District Attorney primary race headed towards a recount, financial documents show.
According to Board of Elections financial reports, Cabán raised more than $207,400 in the most recent filing period from July 1 to 11, compared to the $36,160 that Katz raised.
This represents a significant reversal from the beginning of the campaign, when Katz pulled in more than $1,419,000 and Cabán had about $256,700.
The reports also show Cabán spent less than her opponent during the period—about $142,100. Katz spent $325,307, although that was mostly used for previous campaign consulting, as The City noted.
The BOE reports came out just after the start of a manual ballot recount that is expected to take roughly two weeks.
The recount operation was automatically triggered by Melinda Katz’s narrow 16-vote lead over Tiffany Cabán after affidavit and absentee ballots were counted on July 3. Until that point, Cabán had held a 1,199 vote lead over Katz.
Alongside the recount, Cabán and Katz will be meeting in court regarding the validity of 114 specific affidavit ballots that contain errors in the information filled out by the voter. Ultimately, a ruling will be issued on these 114 disputed ballots after the manual recount concludes, but only if the results are still close enough for them to have an impact.
The winner of the Democratic Primary is expected to face off against GOP nominee Daniel Kogan in November.
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11 Comments
so your saying the democratic politicians are corrupt… shocking
Queens BOE corrupt and has been Fixing elections for over 25 years.
Ask van Bramer , Meeks , Meng – they will tell you that Crowley attorneys Bolz et al – rum BOE and offered deal to Lancman to drop out and support Katz – in exchange for a sweet job when Katz wins , and that a Crowley will he replace Katz , and that , most importantly- Crowley family attorneys , and Bolz , Sweeney , Reich – will continue to steal millions in surrogates court !
That is why BOE led by Crowley corrupt team still , “volunteering” for Katz !
Cabán has at least 165 lawyers “volunteering” for her. Why is that a problem?
Hmmm… the optimist in me says this extra money is grass roots funding. Tho the pessimist… let’s just say someone might be buying politicians.
Caban was endorsed by AOC. We all see what is happening between AOC and other minority congress women with the White House occupant. Its only logically that the working people are donating to Caban to her help her fight against voting fraud, injustices, racism, homophobia and bigotry which are taking place as we speak. We will no longer be silenced!
What are you smoking?
orange man bad
I want to see the list of those hard working people.
That’s all public information. Check the last link in the article or go to the NY state election website. Lists each contribution made and each expenditure.
From the Daily News:
Katz attorneys Sweeney, Reich and Bolz “volunteering” for Katz, basically to make sure no one else gets control of the DA’s office while statue of limitations still valid to go after them, and Crowley family.
Daily News
For 30 years, the same three men have effectively controlled one of the largest Democratic organizations in America – the Queens Democratic Party and Boards of Elections.
They are Gerard Sweeney, Michael Reich and Frank Bolz, the powerful attorneys who serve Rep. Joe Crowley, the chairman of the Queens County Democratic Party. Reich is the executive secretary of the party, a spokesperson and wrangler of district leaders. Bolz is the law chairman, entrusted with keeping county-approved candidates on the ballot and knocking their rivals off.
Sweeney wears no official hat within the party infrastructure. But Queens insiders say he is arguably its most important strategist, helping guide the party’s political machinations on the homefront as it jousts for influence in City Hall and Albany.
He is also the one who gets to be very rich.
As the appointed counsel to the Queens public administrator, a job he has held without interruption since 1992, the 63-year-old Sweeney raked in just over $2 million last year administering in Surrogate’s Court the estates of people who died without leaving wills. Over the past decade, his haul is even more stunning: $30 million since 2006, according to an analysis of court records.
It’s impossible to know how many millions Sweeney received in his first 14 years on the job because the state’s Office of Court Administration, which oversees Surrogate’s Court, says it doesn’t keep those figures.
The three men, with Crowley’s blessing, still determine what type of justice is served in Queens County. No Queens judge rises through the ranks without the party’s blessing and regular donations to its housekeeping account.
Story length infraction!