Schneiderman Can Use Campaign Cash in Ways Donors Never Imagined

Eric Schneiderman has amassed more than $8.5 million in campaign donations, according to his most recent filing with the state in January.

But New York State doesn't require him to return the funds, even though he's not running for re-election.

"It's completely up to Eric Schniederman and the people who are affiliated with his campaign," said Susan Lerner, the executive director of Common Cause New York, a good government group that's been advocating for reforms to the state law about campaign donations. "The law does not require him to do anything."

Irene Boniece, a doctor at Mount Sinai Hospital, is one of the some four thousand people who donated to Schneiderman over the years. She began donating to Scheiderman in $50 installments last year, when she read about his crusade against the policies of President Donald Trump. All told she's donated about $600 to his campaign. 

"I know mine is like a drop in the bucket but it was for the purpose of the office... the idea was to do something with it positive," she said.

She wants the money back so she can pass it on to another progressive candidate who might take over in his place, she said. She tried going to his campaign website to figure out how, but it's been taken off line.

While there are some restrictions in state law, the former attorney general could conceivably use the funds to defend himself against lawsuits from women he allegedly abused. Over the years, many disgraced New York politicians have hoarded their campaign cash and even dipped into the funds to pay off legal fees, like Dean Skelos, Sheldon Silver and Vito Lopez.

A group of seven female Republican State Senators are calling for money to be donated to charities that help survivors of domestic violence.

An attorney for Eric Schneiderman didn't return a request for comment right away.