Cuomo to Host $25 Fundraiser for Those Who Can’t Swing $10,000

(Bloomberg) -- New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is adding a virtual fundraiser in July for small-dollar donors to a campaigning blitz that includes a $10,000 per head reception later this month.

The summer events provide the latest sign that the Democrat, beleaguered by state and federal misconduct investigations, could be running for a fourth term.

Cuomo’s campaign sent an email to supporters on Monday inviting them to a “Grassroots Reception with Governor Cuomo” on July 6th held virtually over Zoom. Tickets cost $25, far less than the $10,000 per head “Summer Reception” on June 29 in New York City that was announced last week.

“We hope you can join us to kick off the Summer season and recognize all the the progress New Yorkers have made the past several months,” the invite read.

The fundraising events are scheduled days before the July 15 campaign finance deadline that requires the governor to disclose how much his campaign raised in the six months prior. The snapshot will provide a look into whether Cuomo is still a viable candidate to run for a fourth term after allegations of sexually harassing aides and other misconduct.

The governor faces state and federal investigations into claims his administration covered up Covid nursing-home deaths, provided relatives with virus testing before it was widely available, mishandled construction of the Mario Cuomo Bridge and misused public resources while writing a $5 million leadership book. Cuomo denies all claims.

Before the allegations surfaced, he had said he would run for re-election. He has since declined to comment on his plans. In a poll released last month by Siena College, 37% of respondents said they would vote for Cuomo if he ran for a fourth term.

Cuomo could also use campaign funds to cover bills from legal counsel he has hired to represent him in the state and federal investigations. But he said last Wednesday that he expects the state to cover his legal expenses, rather than campaign funds.

Campaign filings in January revealed the governor had raised more than $4 million during the last six months of 2020, when a second coronavirus wave hit the state. At the time, Cuomo had $16.8 million in cash on hand, thanks to donors including Google’s former chief executive officer, Eric Schmidt, and real estate developers Aby Rosen, Robert Speyer and Todd Rechler.

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