Suffolk Democratic chairman Richard Schaffer has loaned the party $200,000 to pay withholding taxes for hundreds of paid canvassers who got out the vote for Steve Bellone's election as county executive in November.
Schaffer tapped personal savings for two no-interest loans -- $150,000 on Dec. 23 and another $50,000 on Jan. 9, the day before the $158,321 payment of the state and federal taxes. The loans were disclosed in the Suffolk Democratic Committee's Jan. 15 campaign finance report.
"I had $211,000 in savings," said Schaffer. "Now I have $11,000 left."
Schaffer said he only became aware of the potential tax liability when the party hired an expert to handle processing and payments for the 650 canvassers, who made calls and knocked on doors to get Democratic supporters to the polls.read more
