ALBANY — State Republican Party Chairman Ed Cox on Monday is set to file a complaint with the state Board of Elections chief enforcement counsel accusing union allies of the state Senate Democrats of illegally coordinating campaign efforts on their behalf.
The complaint alleges that the state teachers union, the Communications Workers of America, and Local 32BJ of the Service Employees International Union have violated the law by involving themselves and top staff with the efforts of different Super PACs they created to help the Senate Dems.
By law, the Super PACs, also known as independent expenditure committees, can raise and spend as much as they want on candidates as long as there is no coordination with the campaigns. The unions that create them and are working to help different candidates also need “some actual organization separation,” according to a U.S. Court of Appeals decision cited by Cox.
The complaint to be filed with state Board of Elections Chief Enforcement Officer Risa Sugarman insists there has been unlawful coordination — including staff overlaps — by the three unions, their regular PACs that are allowed to coordinate directly with campaigns, and their independent expenditures that are not.
The complaint also says that the registration form of the CWA-created New Yorkers Together lists Robert Master — an assistant to the union’s vice president — as one of its leaders. Master is also listed as treasurer of CWA District 1’s regular PAC that is supporting and working with various Senate Democratic campaigns.
In addition, the complaint says CWA District 1 Vice President Dennis Trainor is listed as an agent on New Yorkers Together’s registration form and someone who “exerts operational control” over CWA District 1’s PAC.
Given the “influence and control” Master and Trainor have over the union, its regular PAC and super PAC, “these entities cannot be viewed separate and apart from each other,” the complaint says.
If found in violation of the law, the unions could be hit with felonies and fines equal to the amount spent illegally.
Master, teachers union spokesman Carl Korn, and 32BJ spokesman Eugenio Villasante say there are clear “firewalls” between the activities of their unions and the independent expenditure committees.
“We’re confident no one is going to give any credence to their complaint,” Master said.
Combined, the three Super PACs have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars so far in support of Senate Democrats and in opposition to Republicans.
A paid organizer for a progressive group that frequently attacked Gov. Cuomo on corruption issues during the recent Democratic primary has served time behind bars.
Quintin Cross, the Hudson Valley lead organizer for Citizen Action, in 2007 was charged with spending $20,000 using city credit cards on such things as bar tabs, airline tickets and an online dating service subscription while he was the majority leader of the Hudson City Council.
Cross was also charged in 2016 with felony grand larceny after being accused — but found not guilty at trial — of stealing more than $3,000 from a woman’s checking account.
And in April 2012, he was accused — but never indicted — of breaking into City Hall and stealing money from a petty cash drawer.
Citizen Action Executive Director Karen Scharff said the group knew of Cross’ background when he was hired and praised the job he’s doing.
“We believe all employers should hire formerly incarcerated people, and we support ‘ban the box’ (that would prohibit asking potential employees about any criminal history) and other policies that make it easier for formerly incarcerated people to get a job,” Scharff said.