Senator John Sampson's Problems With Public Accountability

Campaign contributions go missing in state Sen. John Sampson’s records

• By ISABEL VINCENT and MICHAEL GARTLAND
• Last Updated: 6:38 AM, June 9, 2013
• Posted: 11:55 PM, June 8, 2013
• LINK

EXCLUSIVE

Where did the money go?

Embattled state Sen. John Sampson’s campaign filings are peppered with missing cash and phantom refunds, The Post has found.

In three cases, money paid by political action committees to Sampson’s re-election campaign from 2009 to 2012 does not show up on his records.

Lawpac, run by the New York State Trial Lawyers Association, donated $3,000 on June 17, 2009, state campaign-finance records show. But two days later, Sampson reported receiving only $1,000 from the group.

The Lawpac check was cashed for its full $3,000 amount on June 22, 2009, a source with knowledge of the payment told The Post.

Shannon DeCelle

SHOW US THE MONEY! State Sen. John Sampson’s campaign cashed donors’ checks but did not record their full amounts on its books.

The Educational Leadership PAC gave a $1,000 contribution to the Brooklyn Democrat’s campaign on Jan. 22, 2010. But the campaign reported receiving just $500 from the group and not until April 21, 2010.

A spokeswoman for the education PAC said the $1,000 check was cashed.

“I don’t know if there was a recording discrepancy on their end, but that’s what went out of here,” said Michelle Hebert, of the School Administrators Association of New York State, which oversees the PAC.

The Committee for Action for a Responsible Electorate PAC reported a contribution of $1,000 to Sampson’s campaign on Jan. 21, 2010. A spokesman for the PAC says the check was cashed for its full $1,000 amount on Feb. 2 2010. The cash does not show up on Sampson’s records, state campaign-finance records show.

In addition to the missing money, The Post found Sampson mysteriously refunded $11,450 in donations to at least eight PACs in 2010. However, the refunds do not show up as receipts in the campaign filings of the PACs, which include the Real Estate Board PAC, Uniformed Firefighters Association/FIREPAC and the Pharmacy PAC.

“What we’re talking about are small amounts,” said Mitch Alter, treasurer for the Committee to Re-elect John Sampson. “If mistakes were made, we’ll correct them. There’s nothing nefarious here.”

Sampson, 47, last month was accused of embezzling nearly $500,000 of escrow money that he was supposed to safeguard in the sale of foreclosed homes in Brooklyn while acting as a court-appointed referee.

Prosecutors say he used the money to finance his failed bid for Brooklyn district attorney in 2005. Federal prosecutors say that when Sampson learned he was being probed, he used a mole in Brooklyn’s federal court to help him thwart the investigation.

Sampson has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

“Since New York state Senator John Sampson was indicted last month on multiple federal charges of embezzlement, obstruction of justice, and making false statements to the FBI, the media is justified in taking a very close look at Sampson’s finances,” said Ken Boehm, chairman of the National Legal and Policy Center, a political watchdog group.

“If Sampson’s political bookkeeping is off by tens of thousands of dollars, the public deserves an explanation.”

Additional reporting by Melissa Klein

isabel.vincent@nypost.com