All political committees in New York State, including those involved in last month’s primary elections, were required to file their financial reports on July 17. For those not involved in an election this year or who had no primary election, these are the first financial reports since mid-January. For committees involved in primaries this report serves as their 10-day post-primary report.

In the race for Erie County Executive incumbent Democrat Mark Poloncarz outraised Republican Chrissy Casilio-Bluhm by a margin of nearly 2 ½ to 1.  Bluhm’s receipts included $30,000 in personal and family loans.

The reports on file show an interesting amount of money reported raised and spent on the Republican and Conservative primaries in the Erie County Legislature’s 10^th district.  The candidates, Jim Malczewski and Lindsay Lorigo, directly raised $70,461 and spent $62,748.  Malczewski’s filings appear straight forward.  The reported totals for Lorigo, however, are likely supplemented by the $50,000 that the Erie County Conservative Party sent to the state Party on May 23, most likely for Lorigo’s benefit.  Big Dog Strategies, the same consultant used by George Santos, reportedly prepared 12 mailings for Lorigo but not a cent of spending is reported to Big Dog from either Lindsay Lorigo’s committee or that of the County Conservative Party.  The state Conservative Party’s report was not available prior to the publication of this post but may provide more details.  This post will be updated on this website and on Twitter when the information becomes available.

Issues have apparently been raised about former Legislator and current Supreme Court Judge Joseph Lorigo’s campaign financing in the state Commission on Judicial Conduct investigation of his campaign in 2022.

The total amounts raised and spent in the five Democratic primaries for seats on the Buffalo Common Council are incredible.  With the final reports of three committees remaining to be seen the totals thus far are:  raised $414,630; spent $390,401.

For committees that do not have the required July 17^th available as of July 18 AM I will do some additional updating of this report over the next several days, so check back.  Here are some highlights as of July 17:

The County Executive race – reporting for January-July 2023

• Erie County Executive
  • Mark Poloncarz (D, WF) (I) — total raised $314,874; largest contribution $25,000 from Lippes Mathias Wexler Friedman; total spent $116,544.  Balance: $627,880

• Chrissy Casilio-Bluhm (R, C) — total raised $129,556, which includes $10,000 personal loan and $20,000 loan from Patrick Casilio; largest contribution $31,484 from Patrick Hotung; total spent $17,991.  Balance: $111,565

Erie County Legislature, 10^th District Republican and Conservative primaries – reporting totals for 2023 from the candidates’ committees

• Lindsay Lorigo – total raised $19,219; total spent $17,319.  Erie County Conservatives expenditure to NYS Conservatives $50,000; The county Party received $41,402 from Joseph Lorigo’s County Legislature campaign account in February 2023. Spent by NY State Conservative Party on Lindsay Lorigo’s behalf:  $ ?
• Jim Malczewski (I)  total raised $51,242; total spent $45,429

Buffalo Common Council Democratic primaries – reporting totals for 2023

• Ellicott District
  • Matt Dearing — total raised through 6/16/23 $14,025; total spent $10,188          
  • Emin Eddie Egriu – total raised through 6/16/23 $42,549, including $38,237 in loans; spent $30,229
  • Cedric Holloway — total raised $18,127; total spent $18,027
  • Leah Halton-Pope — total raised $82,884; total spent $63,315         
• Lovejoy District
  • Brian Bollman (I) — total raised $20,556; total spent $18,628
  • Mohammed Uddin — total raised through 6/16/23 $25,897; total spent $22,960        
• Masten District
  • Zeneta Everhart — total raised $77,698; total spent $75,803
  • India Walton — total raised $42,450; total spent $36,960         
• North District
  • Joe Gomolbek (I) — total raised $39,279; total spent $54,386
  • Eve Shippens — total raised $21,058; total spent $22,070
• University District
  • Kathryn Franco — total raised $20,982; total spent $19,053
  • Rasheed Wyatt — total raised $9,150; total spent $18,782

Others of note – reporting for January-July 2023

• Mayor Byron Brown — total raised $1,270; total spent $2,558.  Balance: $105,078.  Hmm!
• State Senator Tim Kennedy — total raised $663,834; total spent $421,355.  Balance: $2,137,032  WOW!
• Andrew Cuomo – raised $100,450 — $79,459 came from bank interest; spent $1,780,213, of which $1,576,264 went for legal services; balance $7,610,050

The next financial reports are due on October 6 for those running in a 2023 election.

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