Marc Molinaro wants to ban donations from those linked to gov contracts
Pointing to pay-to-play corruption scandals that have rocked the Cuomo administration, GOP gubernatorial candidate Marc Molinaro on Wednesday proposed banning political donations from people or businesses holding or seeking contracts with state government.
Molinaro, the Dutchess County executive nominated as the GOP candidate for governor last week, announced the restrictions during a stop in Buffalo.
The location was not a coincidence.
A federal bid-rigging trial will be held next month involving defendants connected to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s “Buffalo Billion” economic development program.
“If we are to begin restoring that trust — and we must — political donations from state vendors and contract holders must be permanently outlawed. This governor promised ethics reforms when he ran and then made a mockery of his promise, becoming the worst pay-to-play offender in state history,” Molinaro said.
The alleged scheme allowed Cuomo campaign contributors at L.P. Ciminelli, an upstate construction company, to win a lucrative contract. A top Cuomo economic development ally at SUNY Polytechnic, Alain Kaloyeros, is charged in the case along with Ciminelli executives.
One company executive, Kevin Schuler, has already pleaded guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy charges and may testify against other defendants.
“Andrew Cuomo’s Albany is a cesspool of corruption, and the people of this state no longer trust their government as a result,“ Molinaro said.
Molinaro also proposed closing the infamous “LLC Loophole” that permits individuals to donate more money to favored candidates under thinly disguised corporate entities.
His fellow Republicans in the Legislature have supported LLC donations and have blocked efforts to restrict them.
Cuomo campaign spokeswoman Abbey Fashouer responded:
“It’s clear Trump mini-me Marc Molinaro who has an ‘A’ rating from the NRA and is the NY GOP’s handpicked anti-woman, anti-immigrant, anti-LGBTQ candidate is desperately trying to deflect from the sad state of his campaign. No contribution of any size influences any government action — period.”