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The state Board of Elections is investigating campaign support given to Democrats in several state Senate races last year in a probe that's also examining a heavy-spending union super PAC.
Subpoenas were issued by the office of the board's chief enforcement counsel, Risa Sugarman, seeking documents concerning work done on behalf of the New York City-based Communication Workers of America District 1 and its outside spending group, New Yorkers Together. The subpoenas also seek records regarding several Democrats whom the group backed with heavy union spending, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.
The investigation follows a complaint filed last October by Ed Cox, the state Republican Party chairman, charging that a powerful union official working to swing the state Senate to Democratic control, Robert Master, was breaking a law meant to prevent illegal campaign coordination.
Cox contended Master was in violation of the law by running an independent expenditure campaign — New Yorkers Together — while serving as a top official in a political party — Working Families — that was working directly with the Senate candidates.
Under the 2010 Citizens United Supreme Court decision, independent expenditure committees, commonly known as super PACs, can accept unlimited donations and spend unlimited amounts to influence elections.
But states can prohibit the groups from coordinating with candidates' campaigns. Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed legislation last year strengthening campaign-finance law in New York.
The new law was spurred by the fact that outside groups coordinating with campaigns, which have donation limits, can give a candidate a financial advantage.
Master is political director at the Communication Workers of America District 1, but also had several roles in the 2016 election season.
He ran New Yorkers Together, the union-backed independent expenditure effort, which spent more than $770,000 in 2016. The group could receive and spend unlimited sums and spent money supporting two Democratic Senate candidates on Long Island.
Master is also the state co-chair of the Working Families Party that endorsed the two candidates — Ryan Cronin and Jim Gaughran. The party was being paid by the candidates' campaigns for professional services to help unseat their Republican opponents, Sens. Kemp Hannon and Carl Marcellino.
Board of Elections probes ties between Senate Democrats, union super PAC
Subpoenas were issued by the office of the board's chief enforcement counsel, Risa Sugarman, seeking documents concerning work done on behalf of the New York City-based Communication Workers of America District 1 and its outside spending group, New Yorkers Together. The subpoenas also seek records regarding several Democrats whom the group backed with heavy union spending, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.
The investigation follows a complaint filed last October by Ed Cox, the state Republican Party chairman, charging that a powerful union official working to swing the state Senate to Democratic control, Robert Master, was breaking a law meant to prevent illegal campaign coordination.
Cox contended Master was in violation of the law by running an independent expenditure campaign — New Yorkers Together — while serving as a top official in a political party — Working Families — that was working directly with the Senate candidates.
Under the 2010 Citizens United Supreme Court decision, independent expenditure committees, commonly known as super PACs, can accept unlimited donations and spend unlimited amounts to influence elections.
But states can prohibit the groups from coordinating with candidates' campaigns. Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed legislation last year strengthening campaign-finance law in New York.
The new law was spurred by the fact that outside groups coordinating with campaigns, which have donation limits, can give a candidate a financial advantage.
Master is political director at the Communication Workers of America District 1, but also had several roles in the 2016 election season.
He ran New Yorkers Together, the union-backed independent expenditure effort, which spent more than $770,000 in 2016. The group could receive and spend unlimited sums and spent money supporting two Democratic Senate candidates on Long Island.
Master is also the state co-chair of the Working Families Party that endorsed the two candidates — Ryan Cronin and Jim Gaughran. The party was being paid by the candidates' campaigns for professional services to help unseat their Republican opponents, Sens. Kemp Hannon and Carl Marcellino.
Board of Elections probes ties between Senate Democrats, union super PAC