Deceased Senator’s Campaign Account Still Alive and Kicking

Colin Campbell — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:09:07 -0400

The Observer reported in 2009 that the late State Senator Ron Stafford, who passed away in the summer of 2005, was still making tens of thousands of dollars of campaign contributions to charities and local Republican candidates.

And according to the latest financial disclosure reports, this is still very much the case.

In December 2011, the "Committee to Re-Elect Sen. Stafford" contributed $500 to the successful campaign of a local mayor. And in March, 2011 the North Country State Senator's campaign gave a whopping $15,000 to a local judge's reelection campaign.

According to Jimmy Vielkind's 2009 report, the committee is controlled by Mr. Stafford's widow.

"I've never heard of ghost contributions before, but I guess it applies," Blair Horner, NYPIRG's then-chief lobbyist for government reform, said at the time. "This clearly underscores that there needs to be a law that you have to give the money back."

Needless to say, no such law has been passed since.

Politicker » Deceased Senator’s Campaign Account Still Alive and Kicking

Deceased Senator’s Campaign Account Still Alive and Kicking