New York Governor Kathy Hochul Faces Backlash Over Campaign Donations from Appointees
In a move that has raised eyebrows among ethics advocates, Governor Hochul's campaign announced this week that it will refund thousands of dollars in donations received from individuals she appointed to state boards and councils. The decision comes after Democratic primary rival Lt. Governor Antonio Delgado questioned the governor's fund-raising methods, arguing that accepting money from appointees undermines public confidence in governmental actions.
According to public records, Hochul has raised at least $72,500 from individuals who donated after they were appointed to key state positions, including the Mid-Hudson Regional Economic Development Council and the Elevator Safety and Standards Board. Some of these donors also contributed before their appointments, while others were first appointed by former Governor Andrew Cuomo.
State employees and officers are prohibited from donating to a gubernatorial campaign under an executive order issued in 2008, which Hochul reupped when she became governor in 2021. However, the governor's campaign has faced criticism for accepting donations from appointees despite this rule.
"Raising money from political appointees after pledging not to is driving a truck through her own ethics order," said Steven Ileka, a spokesperson for Delgado's campaign. "This is the government of the donors, by the donors, for the donors – and New Yorkers are being left out."
Not everyone shares this view, however. American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten defended Hochul's actions, saying that the governor has "the highest ethical standards" and is working to put money back in families' pockets.
The practice of raising campaign funds from gubernatorial appointees is not new. Former Governor Cuomo was accused of similar wrongdoing during his tenure, with The New York Times reporting that he raised $890,000 from people he appointed and an additional $1.3 million from their spouses, children, and related businesses.
"This undermines public confidence in governmental actions," said Blair Horner, executive director of the New York Public Interest Research Group. "The governor has set the rule on this – she should follow the rule."
As Hochul faces a Democratic primary challenge from Delgado, her campaign's decision to refund donations from appointees may be seen as an effort to maintain public trust and demonstrate a commitment to ethics. However, the move also highlights the ongoing tension between politics and ethics in state government.
In a move that has raised eyebrows among ethics advocates, Governor Hochul's campaign announced this week that it will refund thousands of dollars in donations received from individuals she appointed to state boards and councils. The decision comes after Democratic primary rival Lt. Governor Antonio Delgado questioned the governor's fund-raising methods, arguing that accepting money from appointees undermines public confidence in governmental actions.
According to public records, Hochul has raised at least $72,500 from individuals who donated after they were appointed to key state positions, including the Mid-Hudson Regional Economic Development Council and the Elevator Safety and Standards Board. Some of these donors also contributed before their appointments, while others were first appointed by former Governor Andrew Cuomo.
State employees and officers are prohibited from donating to a gubernatorial campaign under an executive order issued in 2008, which Hochul reupped when she became governor in 2021. However, the governor's campaign has faced criticism for accepting donations from appointees despite this rule.
"Raising money from political appointees after pledging not to is driving a truck through her own ethics order," said Steven Ileka, a spokesperson for Delgado's campaign. "This is the government of the donors, by the donors, for the donors – and New Yorkers are being left out."
Not everyone shares this view, however. American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten defended Hochul's actions, saying that the governor has "the highest ethical standards" and is working to put money back in families' pockets.
The practice of raising campaign funds from gubernatorial appointees is not new. Former Governor Cuomo was accused of similar wrongdoing during his tenure, with The New York Times reporting that he raised $890,000 from people he appointed and an additional $1.3 million from their spouses, children, and related businesses.
"This undermines public confidence in governmental actions," said Blair Horner, executive director of the New York Public Interest Research Group. "The governor has set the rule on this – she should follow the rule."
As Hochul faces a Democratic primary challenge from Delgado, her campaign's decision to refund donations from appointees may be seen as an effort to maintain public trust and demonstrate a commitment to ethics. However, the move also highlights the ongoing tension between politics and ethics in state government.
Governor Hochul is making a big mistake by refunding those donations. I mean, come on, she knows the rules, but it's not about the money itself, it's about the perception. If she's gonna keep that cash, at least have the decency to disclose who gave it to her beforehand. Transparency is key here. Don't try to sugarcoat it with a refund like you're trying to fix the whole thing in one fell swoop. It's just too little, too late. And what's up with Lt. Governor Delgado? He's more concerned about being the hero than actually solving real problems. 
I mean, shouldn't politicians be above that kind of thing, you know? 
But at the same time, if she's putting money back into families' pockets, is it really that bad? 
What do people think about this whole thing, though? Shouldn't we just have a clear set of rules so everyone knows where they stand? 
. I mean, don't get me wrong, she should be all about transparency and keeping it 100 with the people, but refusing donations from appointees is like, a pretty obvious no-brainer. It's not like she's breaking any major rules here... just following the same guidelines that Cuomo did before her 
. i mean, its not like shes doing anything wrong or shady, but still, some ppl might think its weird that she's taking donations from people shes appointed to stuff. maybe its a good sign that hes got the gov taking ethics kinda serious tho?
It just seems like a weird way to do things. And what's with all these rules about state employees not being able to donate to campaigns? Don't they just ignore that rule or something? 
I guess some people think it's no big deal, but others are like "wait, isn't this just a little shady?" 
So when she accepts money from these guys, it raises questions about whether she's putting party interests over public trust 
As for Hochul herself, it'll be interesting to see how she handles the heat in the upcoming primary 
. I've seen more transparent stuff in my grandma's recipe book 
. It's all about saving face and avoiding scandal, rather than doing what's right for the people 
... but still, it hurts to see our leaders behaving like this 
.
, but for now, I'm just hoping that we're heading in the right direction.
but it's like she's biting off more than she can chew 
.
. I mean, come on Delgado has been in office for like 2 years, can he really take on the whole system? 
. If a state employee is forbidden from donating to Hochul's campaign, shouldn't her appointees face the same rules? 
.