Assembly hopefuls flout election law by failing to disclose campaign finance filings

What’s Assembly Member José Rivera doing to win reelection in the Bronx? Who knows – the incumbent with 40 years in office hasn’t filed a campaign finance disclosure since January, meaning he missed two recent deadlines to report who he’s taking money from, and where he’s spending it. Rivera’s in a fierce Bronx battle with Wall Street-backed Emmanuel Martinez and Rep. Adriano Espaillat’s pick, George Alvarez. They’re not doing much better – Martinez hasn’t filed since January, missing both deadlines, and though Alvarez filed the 32-day pre-primary disclosure on May 27, he missed the 11-day pre-primary deadline on June 17. They’re far from the only Assembly hopefuls brazenly violating election law. Assembly Member Jeffrion Aubry is facing yet another challenge from former state Sen. Hiram Monserrate. But it’s a hard race to follow – neither of them has filed a disclosure since February, when they were both weeks late in providing essential information for transparency after the Jan. 18 deadline. As if campaigns hiding their finances weren’t bad enough, it seems super PACs are doing the same. New York Focus reported that big business-funded Common Sense New Yorkers hasn’t reported its spending as it targets progressive and socialist candidates with “defund the police” mailers.