Gillibrand loves NY (City), but her heart’s in San Francisco

Jet-setting Congresswoman Kirsten Gillbrand, D-NY, may love New York, but her heart – and a lot of her money – is in San Francisco, according to an analysis conducted by the Majority Accountability Project (www.majorityap.com) of financial disclosure forms she recently filed with the Federal Elections Commission (FEC).

For the second straight quarter, Gillibrand reported that most of her campaign contributions came from the New York City area, garnering more than $185,000 from 186 Big Apple donors, according to records made public by the FEC on July 15. Gillibrand’s haul from New York was down slightly from her April filing, when she reported that 161 donors gave $265,050.

Gillibrand’s contributions from New York’s 20^th district also dropped, from $101,875 in her April 15 filing, to $80,674 in her most recent disclosure. Additionally, Gillibrand raked in more than $155,000 from special interest PACs, senior Democrat Congressmen and funds garnered on her behalf by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC).

One of her favorite cash stops is the law firm of Boies Schiller, et. al, where Gillibrand worked as a New York City attorney prior to being elected to Congress. In April, Gillibrand reported that 17 associates and employees of her old firm contributed $21,800 to her re-election. Unlike contributors residing in her upstate New York district, Boies Schiller increased their giving in the July report, where 19 employees ponied up $23,650.

For Boies Schiller, money flows both ways. The freshmen Democrat reports paying the firm $150 in monthly rent, even though her financial disclosures indicate she has no campaign staff in her 20^th Congressional district.

In fact, Gillibrand is also paying rent in Washington, DC, at a cost of $732 per month, where she lists three employees on the payroll of “Gillibrand for Congress.” It was reported earlier this year that Gillibrand moved her family to the Washington, DC suburbs.

But Gillibrand’s disclosure detailed a new favorite stomping ground for the freshman Democrat. California donors to Gillibrand’s campaign gave an astounding $121,250 to her campaign, 50 percent higher than her district total.

Nearly 60 percent of her California take - $69,850 -came from San Franciso, the home base of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. According to a study by the Washington Post, Gillibrand has been a reliable vote for Democrat leadership, voting with Pelosi 92 percent of the time.

Gillibrand’s Sunlight Report gave sparse details about her Golden State swing, listing only that she “attended fundraising reception hosted at the home of Susie and Mark Buell,” a “meeting with Jayne Shapiro,” and a “meeting with Marsha Kwalwasser & Women’s Political Committee.”

The Buell’s are major contributors to Pelosi, and gave $2,000 to Gillibrand. Her meeting with Shapiro, a Beverly Hills investor according to Gillibrand’s filing, netted her only $500, while the Women’s Political Committee of Los Angeles donated $5,000.

Gillibrand’s Sunlight Report, which promised “unheard of” transparency, does not detail that she was in California. It does, however, indicate she spent the Memorial Day recess fundraising out-of-state, at a time when many members of Congress were hosting town meetings with constituents.

It is not the first time Gillibrand left the state during a Congressional recess to fundraise. Majorityap.com broke the story that Gillibrand spent Congress’ spring break in Europe, where she held at least two political fundraisers, one in London and another in Paris.

Her spokeswomen initially told the Albany Times Union, which reported on the majorityap.com article, that Gillibrand held only one fundraiser, and that another scheduled event had been canceled. Majorityap.com later learned the second event was not canceled, as Gillibrand’s office had claimed, but was instead held in Paris, France.

Gillibrand’s London event would seem to have drawn better than “between $5,000 and $6,000,” as her spokeswoman told the Times Union. According to her FEC filing, eight people contributed a total of $5,800; but according to the invitation, there was “a waiting list” of people wishing to attend. The event was held at the posh Covent Garden Hotel in London’s trendy West End.

That the event was held at a hotel, there was a waiting for admittance, and eight people alone contributed what Gillibrand’s office claim to have received, indicates that giving for the event was most likely substantially higher than what was reported.

The Paris event, held at the home of John Morris on rue des Tournelles, reported five people giving $1,850. Morris was not one of them. Gillibrand’s spokewoman later said that both events garnered “about $20,000,” which indicates Gillibrand did not report at least $12,000 in contributions.

Worse, both events could place Gillibrand in violation of Federal campaign finance laws.

Gillibrand’s FEC filings show she did not pay expenses for either fundraiser, as required by law.