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After Sludge exposed an unregistered political group in New York City, government watchdog Reinvent Albany has filed a formal complaint against the group, the Northeast Brooklyn Democratic Club, which likely violated campaign finance laws.
Unions, charter school boosters, the hospital lobby and other special interests have spent $2.2 million on independent expenditures in New York state races this year. Of the Senate spending, 69 percent is benefiting Democrats who have aligned with Republicans.
An eight-term state senator from North Brooklyn, who was recently exposed for failing to report thousands in campaign contributions, appears to have a shadow group that’s taking cash from the same real estate interests that fund his campaign.
The unions received as much as $1.5 billion in work on the $4 billion bridge
Councilmember Carlos Menchaca's legislative push was inspired by a Sludge investigation in July that discovered ongoing NYC government contracts with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
In a first in New York, the national progressive group endorsed in state legislative races, backing four challengers to members of the now-defunct IDC.
Democrat Tom Carper, who has a primary challenge on Sept. 6, says he is committed to fighting the opioid epidemic, but he has received thousands from Big Pharma and refuses to support a bill that would fund state's efforts to treat opioid addicts.
The next attorney general will set the tone on investigating and prosecuting bad actors in New York's multi-billion dollar real estate industry.
Efforts to limit the courts' role in creating district maps come as 2020 redistricting looms.
Cuomo campaign spends twice as much as it did fending off left-flank challenger Zephyr Teachout in 2014
