GOP candidate busted for violating election rules in bid to get $800k in public funding

New York gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman requested more than $860,000 in taxpayer-funded matching money for over 2,600 donations that appear to violate the state's own eligibility rules, according to a New York Focus review of his campaign's finance filings.

Blakeman, the Nassau County executive challenging Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul, has leaned heavily on New York's public matching funds program, launched in 2022 with backing from good-government groups. Under the program's formula, a qualifying small-dollar donation gets multiplied sixfold in public money, a structure meant to level the playing field for candidates who can't rely on wealthy donors the way their opponents can. Hochul opted out of the program entirely for her own campaign.

Eligible donations must come from New York residents, total at least $5, and stay under a $1,050 lifetime cap per donor. Blakeman's campaign, however, sought matches for more than 1,900 donations from people outside the state, including over 400 contributors based in Florida and Texas, roughly 200 one-dollar donations from places like Kansas, Oklahoma and West Virginia, and a $9,000 gift from cryptocurrency investor Brock Pierce, who listed a Puerto Rico address.

In each case, the campaign's paperwork incorrectly labeled these donors as being from within New York.

The campaign also sought matches on more than 500 donations exceeding the $1,050 cap, including a $5,205 contribution from former GOP Rep. Nan Hayworth and more than $9,000 from Anthony Scaramucci, who briefly served as White House communications director under President Trump. All told, some 10 percent of the claimed funds appear to be ineligible.

Campaign spokesperson Madison Spanodemos claimed the problems have already been addressed, pointing to updated filings she said now properly capture the campaign's legitimate small-dollar support. But New York Focus found the campaign's most recent amended reports still include requests for thousands of the same ineligible donations, and the campaign didn't respond to follow-up questions seeking clarification.

The dispute has its roots in a separate fight from earlier this year. Blakeman's campaign was initially denied matching funds altogether after his running mate missed a filing deadline, a decision the campaign fought in court, arguing it was politically motivated given Hochul's role in appointing board members. A judge sided with Blakeman in May, allowing the funds to start flowing.

Blakeman himself only ended up nominated after a winding series of events. Originally, Trump backed Congresswoman Elise Stefanik as the gubernatorial nominee, but she dropped out swiftly after launching her campaign, concluding she had no path to victory.