Slush Funds Make It Rain for Council Campaign Donations

City Council members looking for reelection have found a reliable source to turn to for hefty campaign contributions—organizations they have hooked up with taxpayer money. The Daily News says that 3/4 of council members who have taken money from organizations that total (at a conservative estimate) more than $200,000 in contributions, or up to $467,000 with public matching dollars. The paper cites Christine Quinn, David Yassky, Bill de Blasio, Jessica Lappin, Vincent Gentille and John Liu as the worst offenders of taking money from groups they have set up with slush funds where they get to funnel tax dollars directly into district organizations of their choice. Lappin has received nearly as much in contributions from board members of a school she sponsored (just under 12K) as the amount of funds she sent to them (15K). Susan Lerner of Common Cause told the News, "It makes the whole thing seem incestuous. (Groups) feel they have to hire lobbyists and give campaign contributions in order to continue to provide services in the community." Flashback: Last year's slush fund scandal.