{"id":2516233,"date":"2025-12-01T16:36:00","date_gmt":"2025-12-01T21:36:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hochul-returns-at-least-72500-in-prohibited-campaign-donations\/"},"modified":"2025-12-01T16:37:49","modified_gmt":"2025-12-01T21:37:49","slug":"hochul-returns-at-least-72500-in-prohibited-campaign-donations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hochul-returns-at-least-72500-in-prohibited-campaign-donations\/","title":{"rendered":"Hochul returns at least $72,500 in prohibited campaign donations"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fhochul-returns-at-least-72500-in-prohibited-campaign-donations%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2516233&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>New York Governor Kathy Hochul returned at least $72,500 in campaign donations that were prohibited because they came from political appointees, following <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-admin-will-not-allow-reporters-to-tour-child-migrant-detention-facilities-cite-covid-19\/\" title=\"Biden Admin Will Not Allow Reporters To Tour Child Migrant Detention Facilities, Cite COVID-19\">media scrutiny<\/a>. These donations violated a 2021 state policy banning state employees and officers from contributing to gubernatorial campaigns. Although the refunded amount is small compared to the $17.5 million Hochul has raised the <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >issue drew criticism<\/a> from political opponents. Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik accused Hochul of a &#8220;pay-to-play&#8221; scheme, while Democratic Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado said Hochul violated her own ethics order. Hochul&#8217;s campaign stated that the donations are being returned and highlighted endorsements vouching for her ethical standards. The controversy echoes previous fundraising scrutiny involving former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who raised substantially more from appointees during his tenure. Critics emphasize the importance of following rules to avoid the appearance that government appointments are influenced by campaign donations.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Hochul returns at least $72,500 in appointee campaign donations after media inquiry<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2420465\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Gov. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/kathy-hochul\/\">Kathy Hochul&rsquo;s<\/a> (D-NY) campaign returned at least $72,500 in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.governor.ny.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/2022-02\/50_-_new_york_regulations_section_7.7_executive_order_no._7.pdf\">prohibited<\/a> donations from political appointees after a media publication raised questions about the funds.<\/p>\n<p><em>Gothamist<\/em> <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/gothamist.com\/news\/ny-gov-hochul-accepted-and-is-now-refunding-thousands-in-donations-from-appointees\">reported<\/a> the donations, which are a drop in the bucket compared to the $17.5 million she has on hand as of July. Hochul raised $4.3 million in the first six months of 2025.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/3899596\/potential-successors-to-mayor-muriel-bowser\/\">Here are the two names being floated as successors to Muriel Bowser<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/3898143\/elise-stefanik-blames-kathy-hochul-illegal-immigrant-murder-army-veteran\/\">Stefanik blames Hochul&#8217;s policies after illegal immigrant charged with killing veteran<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/3897691\/doug-jones-alabama-governor-run\/\">Former Sen. Doug Jones announces Alabama gubernatorial run<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>The New York governor received the donations from benefactors after she placed them in key positions in the state government. Hochul renewed a state policy banning state employees and officers from donating to a gubernatorial campaign in 2021.<\/p>\n<p>A Hochul campaign spokesperson told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> that the donations are being refunded.<\/p>\n<p>The campaign also provided a statement from American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten vouching for Hochul&rsquo;s standards.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Governor Hochul has the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/white-house-already-having-to-deal-with-ethical-headache-created-by-kamala-harris-niece-report\/\" title=\"White House Already Having To Deal With \u2018Ethical Headache\u2019 Created By Kamala Harris\u2019 Niece: Report\">highest ethical standards<\/a> and is working day in and day out to put money back in families&rsquo; pockets,&rdquo; Weingarten said in a statement. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m proud to stand behind her.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), who is gunning to run against Hochul in the 2026 gubernatorial election as the Republican nominee, embraced the news. She called the donations a &ldquo;pay-to-play scheme.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Kathy Hochul was just caught red-handed yet again, this time accepting at least $72,500 from campaign donors whom she personally appointed to political positions throughout New York,&rdquo; she said in a statement shared with the <em>Washington Examiner.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The Worst Governor in America violated her own executive order to enrich her campaign in a pay-to-play scheme and is now being forced to return the cash and refund her appointees,&rdquo; she added.<\/p>\n<p>Hochul took a shot from her left flank, too.<\/p>\n<p>Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado (D-NY), who wants to topple the governor in the 2026 Democratic primary, said Hochul is shattering her own ethics order.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Raising money from political appointees after pledging not to, Governor Hochul is driving a truck through her own ethics order,&rdquo; Delgado campaign spokesman Steven Ileka told <em>Gothamist<\/em>. &ldquo;This is the government of the donors, by the donors, for the donors &mdash; and New Yorkers are the ones being left out.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The <em>New York Times<\/em> <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2018\/02\/24\/nyregion\/cuomo-fund-raising-ethics-appointees.html\">reported<\/a> in 2018 that then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) was also guilty of fundraising from his political appointees &mdash; and to much greater effect. He raised $890,000 from appointees and an additional $1.3 million from spouses, children, and related businesses of appointees.<\/p>\n<p>Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi declined to comment to the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> on the <em>New York Times<\/em> story, citing the article&rsquo;s age, or on the prohibited donations going toward Hochul.<\/p>\n<p>Hochul<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2022\/08\/30\/nyregion\/kathy-hochul-donors-money-ethics.html\"> also raised nearly<\/a> $500,000 from Cuomo appointees and their spouses during her 2022 campaign for governor. The donations were technically allowed because the appointees were placed in their positions by Cuomo, not her.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3901299\/stefanik-blasts-hochul-for-flip-flop-on-energy-policies-over-natural-gas-ban\/\">STEFANIK BLASTS HOCHUL FOR &lsquo;FLIP FLOP&rsquo; ON ENERGY POLICIES OVER NATURAL GAS BAN<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Blair Horner, executive director of the New York Public Interest Research Group, laid out the ethics of political appointees giving money to Hochul.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The governor has set the rule on this, and she should follow the rule,&rdquo; Horner told G<em>othamist.<\/em> &ldquo;It minimizes the possibility that the public will think that they&rsquo;re getting appointed to important government positions because they&rsquo;re campaign donors.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hochul refunds $72,500 in appointee campaign donations<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2516234,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25294699189281.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[39379,68025,8433,40629,68024],"class_list":["post-2516233","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-campaign-donations","tag-fundraising-compliance","tag-hochul","tag-political-ethics","tag-prohibited-contributions"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP25294699189281.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2516233","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2516233"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2516233\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2516237,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2516233\/revisions\/2516237"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2516234"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2516233"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2516233"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2516233"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}