Records show New York’s Republican Senate Campaign Committee gave $230,000 this month to the Independence Party, the state’s largest minor party, for its help in trying to keep the Republicans’ last power base in state government.

The Independence Party then used the cash to talk about campaign issues in the district of a Republican senator seeking a tough re-election, sent mailings and ran broadcast ads under its own banner to support Republican candidates in the tightest state Senate races.

The Independence Party said no donations limits were exceeded, although they acknowledged the report due last Friday documenting the GOP contribution publicly and how it was spent apparently wasn’t received by the state Board of Elections. A spokesman for the board didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment about the transactions.

Independence Party Chairman Frank MacKay confirmed the GOP contributions to his party went to specific Republican candidates in tight races, often with high Democratic enrollment.

MacKay said the party wants to preserve the Republicans’ majority, now 31-29 seats, because the governor is a Democrat and the Assembly is controlled by Democrats.

“What we care about more than anything is the balance of power,” MacKay said. “One party rule isn’t good for anyone.”

The Democratic Senate Campaign Committee says the GOP is trying to hide its identity in spending for its candidates.

“Campaign finance laws, while in need of reform, are designed to reduce the influence of money in politics and the disclosure requirements are set up to allow the public to know the identity of a donor,” said Juanita Scarlett, spokeswoman for the state Democratic Senate Campaign Committee. “Hiding your identity while trying to make a political change is counter to the democratic process.”

The Republicans noted Democrats benefit from their own supporters, including the Working Families Party and ACORN, a national group that has led liberal causes.

“That’s the most ridiculous and hypocritical thing I’ve ever heard, especially given the shady and deceitful shell games going on between the Democrats, the Working Families Party and ACORN,” said Joseph Conway, spokesman for the GOP Senate campaign committee.

The Independence Party is using the GOP contribution to help several GOP candidates. They include:

_GOP Sen. Serphin Maltese in the 15th Senate District in Queens against Democrat Joe Addabbo, a New York City councilman;

_Sen. Ceasar Trunzo in his 3rd district fight in Suffolk County against Democrat Brian Foley, the Brookhaven town supervisor;

_Sen. Frank Padavan in the 11th district in Queens against Democrat James Gennaro, a New York City councilman;

_Republican candidate Dennis Delano, a popular policeman, against Democratic Sen. William Stachowski in the 58th district that includes Erie County.

Independence Party Vice Chairman Tom Connolly said that the electronic report for the funding would be re-sent immediately.

“I can understand to a point them screaming about this, because we just found out it was never filed,” Connolly said.

Connolly confirmed that the $230,000 was spent on mailings for Senate candidates and TV and radio ads including in Buffalo, all under the Independence Party’s name. He said his party opened a Queens office four or five weeks ago under its own housekeeping account to do what he called “issues advocacy” to voters in Maltese’s district.

Connolly said the canvassers never asked anyone to vote for Maltese, but spoke about the biggest issues _ taxes and jobs, which are also key issues for the Senate Republicans.

He said the party hopes to keep the office after the elections and continue to support candidates through mailings and campaign ads.

“Democrats have dealt with the Working Families Party for four cycles,” Connolly said. “Now we are starting. Why not? What’s the difference?”

The Independence Party was founded by supporters of independent presidential candidate Ross Perot in 1996 and has a record of supporting Republicans and Democrats. It now counts about 355,000 registered voters statewide and for the first time endorsed a major party candidate for president, Republican John McCain.

Source: Newsday