ALBANY — Nervous state lawmakers, fearing angry voters will kick them out of office in November, are shamelessly pressuring lobbyists more than ever for massive political contributions, lobbyists and lawmakers have told The Post.
The stepped-up effort is taking the form of a record number of fund-raising events, with lawmakers themselves on the phone demanding as much as $25,000 in campaign contributions.
“They are relentless in their calling lobbyists this year, mainly the Democrats in the Senate, and it’s unbelievable,” a prominent lobbyist with strong Democratic ties told The Post yesterday.
“None of us has ever seen anything like it.”
A lobbyist with strong GOP connections said legislators “are all crazed because they’re scared of running this year and not having the funds they think they need to do it.”
Meanwhile, a well-known senator who is preparing a large fund-raiser conceded, “My colleagues are scared and trying to raise as much money as possible, and the lobbyists are the ones with access to the cash.”