Attorney General Eric Schneiderman’s office announced today that they were filing a civil lawsuit against Kelli Conlin, the former President of NARAL Pro-Choice New York.

According to the complaint, Ms. Conlin, who for years was one of the most prominent advocates for women’s health in New York politics, abused her position by using more than $250,000 in charitable funds for her own personal benefit. The lawsuit charges that during her tenure as president, Ms. Conlin used charitable money to pay for shopping sprees at Bergdorf Goodman and Barneys New York, rental of a five-bedroom vacation home in the Hamptons, personal travel, the salary of her children’s nanny, dinners at New York  restaurants, as well as thousands of dollars worth of take-out meals from restaurants near her home. Read More

The Second Circuit of the United States Court of Appeals dismissed a challenge today to the city’s campaign finance laws.

The plaintiffs, who include the New York State Conservative Party, former lieutenant governor candidate Tom Ognibene and State Senator Martin Dilan hoped to loosen some of the restrictions that limit the political giving of those who do business with the city.

Among those restrictions are a $400 limit on the campaign contributions from individuals and entities that have business dealings with the city, excluding those contributions from  the public financing program and expanding the prohibition on contributions from corporations. Read More