The Bronx Democratic Party’s Influence on Judicial Elections
Over the past three years, nearly every civil court judge in the Bronx has hired a political consulting firm directly tied to the leader of the Bronx Democratic Party. This pattern raises concerns about a pay-to-play element within Bronx judicial elections, where the county political machine’s muscle can prove decisive.
The Pattern of Spending
A New York Focus analysis of campaign disclosures found that political firms London House and Collado Consultants & Company have collected nearly half of the total campaign spending by winning Bronx Civil Court candidates since 2021. Both firms are run by close allies of state senator and Bronx Democratic Party chair Jamaal Bailey, and the spending trend has emerged since Bailey was elected party chair in the fall of 2020.
The Judges’ Campaign Funds
Eleven of the 13 candidates who won the Democratic primary since 2021 hired at least one of the two firms, collectively paying them over $172,000. Five candidates sent the firms more than half of their total campaign funds.
The Opaque Process
The process to become a judge in the Bronx is opaque. Applications for party consideration are reviewed by an "Independent Judicial Screening Panel" consisting of at least seven people from "bar associations and community groups." However, the party’s website doesn’t identify the community groups or bar associations that make the appointments, nor who sits on the screening panel.
The Consultants’ Influence
London House was founded and is run by Jason Laidley, a longtime friend of Bailey. It has collected nearly $150,000 of the $172,000. Laidley previously served as Bailey’s campaign manager and chief of staff. The New York City Bar Association, which independently evaluates judicial candidates, gave "not approved" ratings to two of the candidates who paid London House and later became judges, indicating a lack of "qualifications necessary for the performance of the duties of the position."
Conclusion
The pattern of spending by winning Bronx Civil Court candidates on political consulting firms tied to the Bronx Democratic Party raises concerns about a pay-to-play element within Bronx judicial elections. The opaque process and influence of the consultants on the judges’ campaign funds further complicate the issue.
FAQs
Q: Why do winning Bronx Civil Court candidates routinely pay large sums to consultants close to Bronx Democratic Party leadership?
A: The reasons are unclear, but it may be due to the consultants’ influence on the judges’ campaign funds and the opaque process of becoming a judge in the Bronx.
Q: What is the significance of the Bronx Democratic Party’s influence on judicial elections?
A: The party’s influence can prove decisive in Bronx judicial elections, where the county political machine’s muscle can be decisive.
Q: What is the role of London House and Collado Consultants & Company in Bronx judicial elections?
A: Both firms have collected nearly half of the total campaign spending by winning Bronx Civil Court candidates since 2021 and are run by close allies of state senator and Bronx Democratic Party chair Jamaal Bailey.
Q: What is the process to become a judge in the Bronx?
A: The process is opaque, with applications reviewed by an "Independent Judicial Screening Panel" consisting of at least seven people from "bar associations and community groups."
