Better Late Than Never? Biviano Files Campaign Finance Report

By on September 7, 2010 6:23 pm in Election 10, Government

On the comment thread following the profile of State Assembly aspirant and Heights resident Doug Biviano that we published last week, reader John Thomas Longo noted that Biviano was delinquent in filing campaign finance disclosure reports. We have now been provided with a copy of his 32 day pre-primary report, which was just filed (the primary election is on September14). It shows that, as of the date of the report, he had received $3,164 in the aggregate from 49 contributors. Of this, $1,099 came from contributors with addresses in Brooklyn, the large majority of these being from the Heights, Cobble Hill or DUMBO.

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22 Responses to Better Late Than Never? Biviano Files Campaign Finance Report

  1. John Thomas Longo September 7, 2010 at 6:51 pm #

    Biviano may have finally stopped evading campaign finance disclosure laws and filed both his 32-day and 11-day pre-primary reports. If it’s true, Biviano owes us an explanation for why they were filed so late. As of this writing, neither disclosure statement is posted on the state board of elections website for all of us to see

    http://www.elections.state.ny.us:8080/plsql_browser/getfiler2?filerid_in=A75539

    Rather than congratulate himself for belatedly complying with the campaign disclosure laws, Biviano should explain why he thought it was more important to ask for more campaign donations while purposely evading campaign finance disclosure laws. And why did it take him over three weeks to finally comply with the law?

  2. Claude Scales September 7, 2010 at 9:57 pm #

    Someone using the name “John Thomas Longo” posted a comment intended to bring discredit on the real John Thomas Longo. I have removed this comment because it violates our Terms of Service concerning comments, which can be found by clicking on “About” in the menu bar above. The second item listed in the terms concerning comments is, “Do not intentionally make false or misleading statements.” Posting a comment under the name of another person who comments on this blog is making a false and misleading statement.

  3. nabeguy September 7, 2010 at 10:16 pm #

    How weird that I started a post that I never actually submitted and yet you responded to it JTL. Are we in Watergate territory here? For Millman, no less? In my un-posted post, I accused you of being a shill for Millman, and your follow-up post admits to as much, using the exact same words. Homer, you better check your firewall.

  4. nabeguy September 7, 2010 at 10:19 pm #

    Claude,I was writing my post while you were transmitting yours, so I missed the explanation. However I’m a bit alarmed/paranoid about the coincidences.

  5. Claude Scales September 7, 2010 at 10:49 pm #

    Nabeguy: There was a second comment under this post which, like the first, was under the name “John Thomas Longo”, in which the second poster confessed to being “a shill for Millman”. I could tell this wasn’t from the real John Thomas Longo. My clue (other than the sheer unlikelihood of the “confession”) was that the WordPress-generated icon next to the comment was different from the one assigned to the real John Thomas Longo. It was also different from yours. . My best guess is that this phony comment, using words similar to yours, came in and was read by you before I moved it to “pending” status.

  6. Arch Stanton September 8, 2010 at 10:44 am #

    Claude, I don’t like my WordPress-generated icon. Can I please get a different one?

  7. John Thomas Longo September 8, 2010 at 12:10 pm #

    I am the real John Thomas Longo. That is my real name and I am a Brooklyn resident. It’s not a phony name like so many people who hide behind false names to throw stones.

    If a person is going to have a discussion on one of these sites I think it’s important that they have the maturity to use their real name rather than hide behind some phony moniker.

    I appreciate Claude’s removing the liar’s comments and explaining it to us. I happened upon those comments last night before they were removed. Besides being annoyed at their immaturity, I felt sorry for someone who had to defend their candidate’s failure to comply with Watergate Era campaign reforms by pretending to be the person who continues to ask the tough questions of Doug Biviano — why is it now nearly a month since Biviano’s 32-day pre-primary campaign financial was due and almost a week since the 11-Day report was due and, yet, Doug Biviano has failed to file either as of this writing (I just checked the state Board of Elections site). While Biviano may have given a copy of the 32-day pre-primary report to this blog, that’s not complying with the law. And it doesn’t answer the question of where the 11-day report is NOR does it get to the bottom line: Biviano should explain why he thought it was more important to ask for more campaign donations while he continues to purposely evading campaign finance disclosure laws.

  8. Claude Scales September 8, 2010 at 12:41 pm #

    I don’t blame you, Arch–it’s dull, dull, dull. The best thing you can do is go to gravatar.com, the site that handles these icons, create an account (it’s free), then choose another icon or substitute a photo from your collection (it doesn’t have to be a photo of you) for the icon.

  9. Obama? September 9, 2010 at 1:12 pm #

    @ Longo,

    Mr. Biviano has been & currently is a building superintendent. He’s probably not getting rich off his campaign. Do you have any evidence to the contrary?

    Why is Biviano’s late filing more of an issue than the rampant Albany corruption?

  10. John Thomas Longo September 9, 2010 at 5:48 pm #

    Biviano’s failure to file (it’s still not on the state website as of this writing) is part of the culture of corruption. Like Pedro Espada, Biviano holds himself above the law, thumbing his nose at the requirement to disclose his campaign fundraising and spending.

    If he’s not willing to comply with the law NOW, as he asks for our vote, he doesn’t deserve our trust. Biviano owes the voters an explanation for why he continues to dodge the state campaign disclosure laws.

    And it’s not just about enriching himself. Just who is bankrolling him and why? Or does he have no support? How is he spending his campaign dollars? We just don’t know because Biviano ignores the law and doesn’t make the disclosure required of him.

  11. nabeguy September 9, 2010 at 8:54 pm #

    The last time I checked, Biviano was spending his campaign dollars on B/W photocopies from Kinko’s. His campaign war-chest is paltry compared to Millman’s. As a voter, I’m more focused on the position that the candidates have on the issues rather than the arcane election laws that allow them to run. My name is Philip Wilentz, and I endorse this message.

  12. John Thomas Longo September 10, 2010 at 5:39 pm #

    Paying attention to the candidates on the issues is important, nabeguy … issues like have they broken the law.

    How can you or anyone know else what Biviano has done with his contributions because here we are the weekend before the election, a month after one campaign disclosure was due; a week after a second was due … and yet Doug Biviano brazenly thumbs his nose at state laws for disclosing the source and expenditure of campaign dollars.

    If Biviano won’t obey the law now we trust him in Albany.

  13. Arch Stanton September 10, 2010 at 6:11 pm #

    @ John Thomas Longo,

    “Doug Biviano brazenly thumbs his nose at state laws” Like a true Brooklynite… He has my vote.

  14. bklyn20 September 10, 2010 at 8:11 pm #

    Speaking of disclosure, I have just received the Tuesday’s primary anti-”Brooklyn Machine” letter from a list of BHA heavyweights. I am not getting into a debate about the “machine” right now. But shouldn’t John Thomas Longo disclose that on this letter a John T. Longo is listed as a judicial delegate candidate?

    You make a point in an earlier post of saying that this is your real name.

    Mr Longo. you may be a perfect candidate for Judicial Delegate, but if this is indeed you — can there be any doubt? — well, that is definitely something you should disclose when you’re weighing in on the election and financial disclosure. I’m not asking you to recuse yourselffrom the discussion, but perhaps a certain conflict of interest should be disclosed?

  15. bklyn20 September 10, 2010 at 8:21 pm #

    To make things clearer, the letter I refer to endorses Millman, Simon and Strauss. Longo is listed as one of the Judicial Delegates suported by Millman et al. Biviano is runing against Millman. Hmmmmmm…

  16. FOIL'd Again September 10, 2010 at 9:14 pm #

    Here’s all the candidates for Judicial Delegates (start at page 144-148). I don’t see him: http://www.scribd.com/doc/34607264/2010-Brooklyn-Des-Ledger.

    Added bonus: find out the home addresses of all your elected officials. Oh, the joys of the Freedom of Information Laws!

  17. John Thomas Longo September 11, 2010 at 10:18 am #

    Unlike Doug Biviano who continues to hide his campaign donations and contributions, I have never hidden my true name (which is more than I can say for the most of the other bloggers).

    What is truly amazing is how Biviano’s defenders go to such great lengths to distract readers from the simple basic truth that Doug Biviano flagrantly violates campaign disclosure laws. I would think that instead of helping Biviano cover up his crimes they would be asking why Biviano thinks it’s more important for him to seek more campaign dollars than it is to comply with the state law and file the two disclosures he’s hiding.

  18. XYZ September 11, 2010 at 10:46 am #

    @ JTL: It seems the only issue you have with Biviano is the missing disclosure of his financal disclosure. I take it you agree with him on the issues otherwise?

    Must be tough not knowing where Biviano gets his money from.

  19. John Thomas Longo September 11, 2010 at 12:17 pm #

    @ XYZ: Once again, an anonymous apologist for law-breaking politician Biviano .

  20. XYZ September 11, 2010 at 4:52 pm #

    @ JTL: Just because you say you ar JTL doesnt proof you are. I can post as John Smith and claim my real name is exactly that. There is no ID check required to post on this blog and your “Avatar” is just a graphic not a picture. So for all I know you arent any different than me.

    I wonder if Millman is one of those special people with a parking placard, allowing her to break the law by parking in illegal spots.

    If you have anything else to bring up against Biviano bring it on. I would like to hear it. Or is your issue that you are not able to see who contributes to Biviano so that you can pay them a visit?

    I have no stake in Tuesdays elections as I am not a registered democrat nor do I contribute to anyone’s campaign.

  21. John Thomas Longo September 11, 2010 at 5:45 pm #

    @ XYZ: Oh, please, once again, you — like Biviano — avoid the main question: why does Biviano continue to evade state disclosure laws.

    I am who I say; I don’t have to defend myself while you and others hide in the shadows.

  22. XYZ September 11, 2010 at 6:41 pm #

    @JTL: I have no idea why he evades states disclosure laws.Maybe he is too busy campaigning on the streets actually talking to the voters and making b/w photocopies @ Kinko’s himself?? Unlike Millman you see him quite often working the streets. I am sure she has a whole back office full of people who do all of that for her.

    I suggest you ask him when you see him as I am sure nobody on the board but himself will be able to answer that burning question.