A gaggle intently aligned with Mayor Eric Adams has donated $10,000 to Republican Lee Zeldin’s marketing campaign for governor as a substitute of incumbent Democrat Kathy Hochul, The Submit has discovered.
The assist for Zeldin comes from the political motion committee Striving for a Higher New York, which is headed by Adams pal the Rev. Alfred Cockfield II.
The $10,000 donation, which was wired to the Zeldin marketing campaign by the group’s treasurer, Carmen Sterling, was posted on the state Board of Election’s web site Monday evening — simply hours earlier than Tuesday’s ultimate Election Day vote.
Inside two weeks of an election, marketing campaign committees are required to report new donations inside 24 hours to the state elections board.
The donation will certainly increase eyebrows. Cockfield is taken into account one among Adams’ early supporters and confidantes, sources mentioned.
Adams is backing fellow Democrat Hochul for governor, however political insiders instructed The Submit that the mayor wouldn’t lose sleep if Zeldin wins as a result of the Lengthy Island GOP congressman could be a stronger supporter of the mayor’s crime-fighting agenda, reminiscent of an overhaul of the unpopular cashless bail legislation.
Adams, by a rep, emphasised the mayor is a robust Hochul booster and has nothing to do with the Cockfield group’s assist of Zeldin.
“The Adams marketing campaign has no connection in any respect to this PAC. Mayor Adams strongly helps Governor Hochul for election as a result of she is going to work onerous to maintain our state secure—and he's extraordinarily upset that cash could be spent to assist her opponent, who would endanger us by opposing the frequent sense gun legal guidelines we have to cut back crime,” mentioned Adams adviser Evan Thies.
However Zeldin welcomed the assist from a gaggle allied with Mayor Adams.
“New Yorkers of all walks of life – Republicans, Democrats and Independents are fed up with the course of our metropolis and state, and are supporting our rescue mission to Save Our State. I’m humbled by this outpouring of assist from these of all walks of life and stay up for serving as a Governor for all New Yorkers,” Zeldin instructed The Submit.
Cockfield and Sterling declined instant remark.
Cockfield is pastor of God’s Battalion of Prayer in East Flatbush, the place disgraced ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo made his first public look in March after resigning over sexual harassment and misconduct accusations laid out in opposition to him final yr in a stinging investigative report.
Striving for a Higher New York has backed Adams’ agenda and has supported average Democrats for workplace — together with donating to the campaigns of veteran Bronx Assemblyman Michael Benedetto and Lengthy Island state Sen. Ana Kaplan.
The group additionally donated $4,700 to Meeting Speaker Carl Heastie (D-Bronx).
Cockfield’s group didn't donate on to Hochul’s marketing campaign, information present. However the group additionally wired $50,000 to the state Democratic Get together, a supply mentioned.
The Hochul marketing campaign declined to remark.
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