Sen. Stafford’s $$ influence still felt in North Country politics

The website PolitickerNY.com has a fascinating post up about Sen. Ron Stafford’s campaign war chest, which continues to fund political activities in the North Country and across upstate New York.

The wrinkle: Sen. Stafford retired in 2002 and passed away in 2005. The “ghost contributions” are being made under the auspices of his widow, Kay Stafford.

The website points out that Ms. Stafford operates a lobbying firm, which seems to blur the line between campaign cash distributions and lobbying activities.

But given New York’s weak campaign finance laws, the arrangement appears to be perfectly legal.

Since July 2005, the Committee to Re-Elect Senator Stafford has contributed nearly $60,000 to charities and fellow Republicans including Betty Little, his successor in the North Country-based Senate seat. The committee still has over $50,000 in its coffers…

The article says the Clinton County Republican Committee has also received funds from the war chest.