 |
Top Stories Headline News |
|
TRR Archive the Rue Morgue |
|
Editorials Editorials Columns Letters |
|
Arts & Leisure Reviews & Schedules |
|
Outdoors Fishing/Hunting Outdoor Magazine |
|
Sports Local Scores & Standings |
|
Food Recipes for culinary delights |
|
Bridges Bridges of the Upper Delaware |
|
Back Issues |
|
Search |
|
Links |
|
Commerce Sponsors |
|
Classified Ads Find it here |
|
Staff Pages |
|
Masthead |
|
Design Studio |
|
Subscriptions Get your copy delivered |
- SULLIVAN COUNTY -- Review of campaign finance contributions, made available by the Federal Election Commission via the Internet, paints a picture of Sullivan's participation in the national election scene.
- Data obtained electronically by The River Reporter is accessible to the public from the FEC, but is available in the information age thanks to the digital assistance of an professional group known as Investigative Reporters and Editors based at University of Missouri.
- In round numbers, individual Sullivan County residents contributed some $31,810 to national candidates in 1995-96, according to FEC figures.
Gifts to D'Amato by CVI affiliates top list Heading the list of recipients was U.S. Senator Alfonse D'Amato of Island Park, who raked in $11,250 for his war-chest funds solely from individual affiliates of CableVision Industries of Liberty.
- CVI sold out to Time-Warner last year in a buyout which took effect January 1, impacting scores of local families and making CVI founder Alan Gerry the 105th richest man in the U.S. according to Forbes.
- Gerry is worth nearly $800 million, published reports say.
- A political action committee (PAC) connected to CableVision, based in Woodbury, NY, gave an additional $5000 to candidates, in addition to amounts given by CVI executives to D'Amato and others, according to FEC spokesperson Kelly Huff.
- Besides Gerry, other present or past CableVision executives on D'Amato's list included: William J. Bell of Huntington, Charles Dolan (who currently heads CableVision's Systems Corp.) of Oyster Bay; Thomas C. Dolan of Oyster Bay; Darlene Fedun of Parksville; Norman B. Fein of Riverdale; Lawrence Flinn, Jr. of Stamford, CT; Mark W. Halpin of Liberty; Sheila Mahony of Oyster Bay (reported by the FEC to be treasurer of the PAC); Irwin B. Polinsky of Fort Solonga; Marvin S. Rappaport of Forestburgh; James M. Reynolds of Liberty; Keith Svenhohotz of Liberty; John M. Urban of Huntington; and Rita M. Valentino of Auburn.
- D'Amato took in at least $11,250 in private donations from CableVision executives alone, in addition to funds received from the Cablevision PAC.
- So what did the cable industry get in return from D'Amato?
- His voting record at Project Vote Smart, an information service based in Corvallis, OR, shows D'Amato's position on 7 pieces of federal legislation aimed at cable TV. On a majority, records show, he voted favorably to the telecommunications industry.
- Gerry was Sullivan County's largest individual giver to any national candidate in 1995-96, shelling out close to $10,000 to hopefuls in both major parties -- including President William J. Clinton, Congressmen Maurice D. Hinchey and Benjamin Gilman; as well as out-of-area candidates Andrew Alexander, Joe L. Barton, Joseph J. Moakley, Larry Pressler and Edolphus Towns, according to FEC records.
Other support - Other local noteworthy national political support included:
-
- Donations to President Clinton by Woodridge actor and poet Robert S. Blossom, in 1995, amounting to $750, which, with a gift by Gerry, brought Sullivan's total to the Democratic president to $1750. In largely Republican Wayne County, Clinton took in $4950 from 7 individuals. In contrast, presumptive Republican nominee Bob Dole got zero individual donations of $250 or more in either Sullivan or Wayne.
- Narrowsburg musician Gloria R. Krause gave $500 in 1994 and $500 in 1995 to Lyndon H. LaRouche, Jr., contender for the 1988 Democratic nomination for President who was incarcerated after what he says was a far-reaching governemnt conspiracy to "eliminate" him as a viable elective candidate.
- The only other recognizable past or present Presidential candidate to receive local election contributions was David Duke, for his Senate race in Louisiana, who took in $250 in 1996 from Vincent Canfield of Equinunk.
- Donations to President Clinton by Woodridge actor and poet Robert S. Blossom, in 1995, amounting to $750, which, with a gift by Gerry, brought Sullivan's total to the Democratic president to $1750. In largely Republican Wayne County, Clinton took in $4950 from 7 individuals. In contrast, presumptive Republican nominee Bob Dole got zero individual donations of $250 or more in either Sullivan or Wayne.
- [Editor's Note: This article is posted on the Internet, with links to sources. Project Vote-Smart also offers a Voter Research Hotline, "free to all citizens," at 1-800/622-SMART.]
Related external links
- Data obtained electronically by The River Reporter is accessible to the public from the FEC, but is available in the information age thanks to the digital assistance of an professional group known as Investigative Reporters and Editors based at University of Missouri.
Thursday, July 18, 1996, p. 1.
Federal campaign contributions
By TOM RUE
reflect local alliances