Hochul ‘busted’ after she admits taking campaign contributions that violated her own executive order: NY ‘run in backrooms’
Gov. Kathy Hochul is set to return roughly $70,000 in campaign contributions after a controversy erupted over money she received from people serving on state advisory and policy panels.
The money, which was first reported by Gothamist, violated an executive order Hochul herself issued in 2021 that bars state employees and even unpaid members of small government panels from donating to a gubernatorial campaign.
Once the allegations surfaced, Hochul’s campaign acknowledged the mistake and moved quickly to refund the donors.
The story has become a rallying point for Republicans.
GOP Representative Elise Stefanik, who is campaigning to unseat Hochul next year, blasted the governor on X, calling her “the worst governor in America” and accusing her of being “the most corrupt” for running a pay‑to‑play scheme that only ended after media scrutiny forced the return of the money.
Several donors were among those returning funds.
Real‑estate broker Matthew Rand, who had been appointed by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo to the State Board of Real Property Tax Services before giving money to Hochul, gave additional $15,000 after his Mid‑Hudson Regional Economic Development Council role in June 2022.
Elevator‑company CEO Mark Gregorio, who was appointed in February 2022 to the Elevator Safety and Standards Board, plus his wife and their company, TEI, contributed a total of $63,000 to the campaign.
Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado, who is challenging Hochul in the 2026 primary, released a statement in response to the scandal.
He called the incident proof that New York “has been run in backrooms with deals made behind closed doors” and added that the state deserves a government that works for the people, not one that operates “behind their backs.”
Hochul’s campaign confirmed that the returns are underway, but declined to offer further details.
Financially, the governor remains far from jeopardized; as of July, the campaign reported more than $17 million in cash on hand.
Nonetheless, the episode undermines her earlier pledges of clean governance and a “new era of transparency.”
Union leaders, including Randi Weingarten, president of the teachers’ union, quickly defended the governor.
“We believe Governor Hochul has the highest ethical standards and is tirelessly working to put more money back in families’ pockets,” Weingarten said in a statement. “I’m proud to stand behind her.”
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