The state Board of Elections has referred three complaints against B. Thomas Golisano’s political committee to the Albany County district attorney for criminal prosecution of possible election law violations.

In another development, a financial disclosure report filed earlier this week with the state Board of Elections shows that Responsible New York all but emptied its bank account last month, refunding Golisano $950,000 and leaving the committee with a balance of just $49,233.56.

Golisano started Responsible New York in July 2008 with a $5 million contribution, and the committee, managed in league with G. Steven Pigeon, spent $4.1 million last year attempting, with mixed results, to influence elections involving the State Legislature.

Most political committees must adhere to spending limits in support of candidates. But as an independent, unauthorized political committee — one of the few, perhaps only such entity in the state — Responsible New York is permitted to spend unlimited amounts of money on campaign activities. However, it is not permitted to coordinate its activities with the candidates those efforts are aimed at helping. A violation is considered a felony.

The campaigns of two candidates who ran in primaries last fall against opponents backed by Responsible New York filed complaints with the Board of Elections contending coordination took place.

Assemblyman Sam Hoyt, D-Buffalo, had faced an unsuccessful primary challenge from the Responsible New York-backed Barbra Kavanaugh, and Erie County Legislator Michele Iannello, wife of Erie County Elections Commissioner Dennis Ward, vied with Joe Mesi, who also was supported by Golisano’s political committee, for the Democratic nomination for the Senate seat in the 61st District. Mesi won the primary but lost the general election to Republican Michael Ranzenhofer.

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