Gorbea Calls Out Magaziner’s Self-Funding

Gorbea Calls Out Magaziner’s Self-Funding

Rhode Island Secretary of State — and 2022 Democratic gubernatorial candidate — Nellie Gorbea is calling out opponent Seth Magaziner in her most recent fundraising appeal. 

“This grassroots network has shown how committed they are to electing Nellie that we even outraised the incumbent Governor last quarter!” wrote “Team Gorbea” in a fundraising email on Sunday. “But fundraising reports also indicate that one of our self-funding, well-connected opponents is ahead of us in fundraising.”

As GoLocal reported, Democratic candidate and Rhode Island General Treasurer Magaziner loaned himself $800,000 in his first run for Treasurer, with less than five years of work experience after college. 

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Moreover, Magaziner continues to refuse to disclose the source of the loan — for which his campaign still has $700,000 outstanding. 

Gorbea’s appeal comes following a strong third quarter, but it still fell short of her second-quarter haul. 

READ: RI Governor’s Race Fundraising Shifts — Winners and Losers — Election 2022

 

Money - and Connections

Magaziner — who currently leads all candidates with over $1.5 million cash on hand — is the son of Ira and Suzanne Magaziner.

His father is a top ally of former President Bill Clinton and a former head of The Clinton Foundation. His mother has served as the chair of Trinity Rep. 

As GoLocal reported, “Directly after graduating from Brown University, Magaziner became an elementary school teacher for two years and later joined Trillium Asset Management. He worked at Trillium for two years and three months and according to disclosure forms filed by Magaziner with the Rhode Island Ethics Commission, he’d earned less than $100,000 at Trillium.”

GoLocal asked Magaziner’s campaign what was the source of the $800,000 — specifically asking if it was a family gift or provided by a third party. His campaign refused to respond to repeated questions about the source of the funds. His spokesperson Patricia Socarras only said in an email response, "The Treasurer made a personal loan in 2014 at the start of his first campaign and the entirety of those funds were spent for that election." She refused to disclose the source of those monies.

In 2013, Rhode Island campaign finance records show that former President Bill Clinton gave Magaziner $1,000.