LIVINGSTON COUNTY — A $20,000 political consulting payment made by Assembly candidate Marjorie Byrnes has been returned after questions were raised about the arrangement involving the Livingston County Conservative Party chair.
Byrnes, who is running in the Republican primary for New York State Assembly’s 133rd District against incumbent Joe Errigo, paid Jason McGuire, the Livingston County Conservative Party chair, $20,000 in consulting fees, according to campaign finance filings dated June 21. The payment occurred before Byrnes received the endorsement of the New York State Conservative Party.
On July 13, Byrnes was unanimously endorsed by the party’s State Executive Committee, a body on which McGuire serves as one of more than 25 voting members. The issue was first reported by WHAM radio host Bob Lonsberry.
McGuire later returned the $20,000 and acknowledged that the situation raised ethical concerns.
“In hindsight, I should have been clearer with the executive committee when I informed them that I was working for Byrnes’s campaign,” McGuire said. “I disclosed that I would be assuming campaign responsibilities, but I did not disclose the $20,000. No race and no amount of money is worth compromising my integrity.”
Campaign finance records show that Byrnes has spent $32,215 to date, including the consulting payment. McGuire said the campaign expects total expenditures to reach approximately $150,000.
The consulting fee drew criticism from outside political observers.
“A $20,000 fee is excessive for an Assembly primary,” said Arnie Rothschild, a Rochester-based political consultant who has worked on numerous campaigns across the state. “This is not a highly competitive general election. I’ve been involved in roughly 150 races and would never charge that amount.”
Following the controversy, McGuire submitted a letter of resignation from his position on the party’s regional committee to the State Executive Committee. That resignation was denied by State Chairman Michael Long.
McGuire described the situation as a political distraction.
“When you challenge the establishment, there’s pushback,” he said. “That’s what’s happening here. We were transparent in our filings, and the money has been returned.”
Byrnes’s campaign has not announced any further changes related to the matter.
