This month already saw back to
back to back fundraisers with another slated for April 30 and according to the
Times Union, there is another slated for next month.
The first was held Tuesday by Troy
Council President Rodney Wiltshire at Bomber’s Burrito Bar at $150 a pop – but attendees
could contribute up to $1,000 or as little as $25 or nothing at all. It’s
pretty steep for a fundraiser for a Council president considering on Wednesday the
Rensselaer County Republican Party was charging just $40 and they had gubernatorial
candidate Rob Astorino as the guest of honor.
I guess you could look at it two
ways. Either Wiltshire was asking an exorbitant amount of money for a Council president
with an eyeball towards higher office or the county GOP don’t think too much of
Astorino’s chances of beating Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Doesn’t matter, really,
fundraising is one of those things where you get what you can when you can.
The Wiltshire camp says they had
115 people sign in for the event that raised in excess of $8,000. Before the
event even kicked off, though, I was getting text messages and emails about how
Wiltshire was reaching out to people and offering them comp tickets just to
fill the room. The Wiltshire camp, however, said it was also a victory party
for the volunteers who helped him win the presidency last year. Also, people at
the event claim they figured between 30 and 40 people actually paid the full
ticket price.
Not in attendance, I’m told, were
any mainstream Democrats like county Chair Tom Wade, City Chair Jack McCann or
those close with the party hierarchy. Those Democrats who were, I’m told, are
members of what Wade calls “The Delusional Bunch.”
I wasn’t there so I don’t know
firsthand and we may not have any idea how much he raised until the formal
financials are filed in June. The last filing showed Wiltshire with $6,780 in
the bank but during his campaign last year he loaned himself $6,000, a loan he will eventually have to repay.
Wednesday, I’m told more than 200
people showed up and paid the $40 to hear Astorinio speak at Franklin Terrace.
Again, it was for the entire committee rather than one person and they charged
less than a third of what Wiltshire charged.
On April 30, the County Democrats
will hold one of their two major fundraising events at Franklin Terrace and the
asking donation is $85 a ticket or $150 per couple to see another statewide
candidate – incumbent Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. Obviously, the Dems
think more of their guest of honor than the GOP does.
Next month, according to the Times
Union, Mayor Lou Rosamilia will hold his own fundraiser to boost his paltry war
chest that now stands at about $16. While I’m still not convinced Rosamilia
will run again, it is clear Wiltshire has an eye towards higher office and many
think it is mayor. He has said he won’t primary Rosamilia, and the only sure fire
way to stave off any attempt by Wiltshire to force a Democratic primary against
another candidate – since there is about no chance the Democrats will support
him – is to make it look like Rosamilia runs again, even if it comes down to
collecting petitions for him and have him decline the nomination.
Then again, I’ve been wrong before
and the mayor may run again. It would certainly make things easier for his
appointments in City Hall and the party as a whole.
