ALBANY – Gov. Kathy Hochul is returning roughly $70,000 after facing heat for accepting illegal campaign funds from people on state panels — contributions her adversary, Elise Stefanik, slammed as “pay-to-play.”

Hochul’s reelection coffers have been flush with funds from at least eight people who serve on advisory groups and other policymaking panels, which was first reported by Gothamist — prompting her campaign to admit the misstep and scurry to give back the funds.

The contributions were illegal under an executive order reupped by Hochul, a Democrat, in 2021 that forbids state employees or officers – even those in unpaid roles on little-known government panels – from contributing to a gubernatorial campaign.

Gov. Kathy Hochul’s campaign is returning about $70,000 in contributions t

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