Scott Murphy spends nearly 250,000 on taxpayer funded mailings and Chris Gibson still outraises

By Sam Foster
Via Chris Gibson Press Release & WRGB CBS 6 Albany

It looks like the local news has caught Scott Murphy with his hands in the taxpayer's cookie jar.  WRGB CBS 6 Albany did an investigative report on congressman Murphy's taxpayer funded mailers.  While holding office, Congressmen are allotted taxpayer funds for mailers that go out to constituents to inform them of district information and changes in laws.  While it is common for candidates to indulge in self promotion, WRGB points out Murphy's use of the congressional mailers was particularly suspect.

According to the report, Scott Murphy spent nearly $250,000 on mailers, which is the third largest in the state and nearly twice that of Democrat colleague Paul Tonko.  Scott Murphy's mailers were also full of self-promoting campaign rhetoric.    



Contrast this with the news that Chris Gibson has managed to out-raise Scott Murphy in the 2^nd quarter.  Chris Gibson's campaign released the following details today on their fundraising efforts:

"We are very honored by the overwhelming amount of support we have received," Gibson said. For this quarter, Gibson raised a grand total of over $483,158.46 from 1,530 donors.  Over 87% of all the individual donors were from New York.  The campaign had over $452,795.94 cash-on-hand as of June 30th.  Fundraising has continued its strong pace since the quarter ended, giving the campaign over $504,000 cash on hand by July 9th.  Since Gibson's campaign began in March, the campaign has raised $591,677.91."

Campaign energy is often feigned, but never imitated.  It's clear which candidate has the momentum at the moment and that candidate is not flaunting their campaign slogans on fancy taxpayer funded mailers.