Congressman Sherwood Boehlert officially gained a new opponent yesterday, as Leon Koziol of Utica, "a self-described conservative Democrat," formally announced that he too would challenge Boehlert.
Also, in an earlier piece on the Congressional race, I mentioned that Boehlert's fundraising might be part of an investigation. Boehlert reports that he is not under investigation by the New York State Lobbying Commission, though there's a catch:
But state lobbying regulators have not asked him for information about his parties because he is a federal and not a state employee, he said.
As a House member, Boehlert is subject to the Lobbying Disclosure Act and other federal rules. He said that because he and Rich have known each other since before 1982, when he was first elected to Congress, their relationship comes under the "friendship exception" that allows them to exchange gifts.
Nonetheless, Boehlert said, he does not accept gifts from Rich and even pays his host when he happens to spend the night at Edgewater.
"I do that just to make sure everything is above-board," he said.
David Grandeau, the Lobbying Commission’s executive director, said it has no authority over federal officials.
The investigation may, however, involve State Senator Jim Seward, who changed his filings immediately after the investigation was announced, claiming "a clerical error".
Posted by simon at February 8, 2006 5:52 PM in politics (national)