Kruger Bankrolls the Gang

ALBANY—A week before the election, State Senator Carl Kruger sent thousands of dollars to fellow members of the now "gang of three" senators, election filings released this week show.

State Senator Ruben Diaz, Sr. received $4,000 on October 27, on top of a $1,000 contribution in August. Kruger also sent $5,000 to State Senator Pedro Espada Jr., the other member of the gang of three, in October. He contributed at least $1,000 to the campaign of Hiram Monserrate, who was part of the original gang of four senators who demurred from supporting Malcolm Smith for majority leader. (The most recent filings for Monserrate and Kruger were not available online, so it's not clear if Kruger made another payment to Monserrate.)

The payments to Espada and Diaz - which are larger than Kruger's contributions to any other fellow senators - were made before the "gang of four" had publicly declared itself.

Kruger also gave $50,000 to the Democratic State Committee and Paterson for Governor.