Lee Kindlon

Lee Kindlon, a man whose campaign for Albany County District Attorney raises serious questions about the ethics and integrity of his fundraising methods. As a self-proclaimed “reformer” looking to take on the establishment, Kindlon’s ties to questionable industries and questionable figures have sparked controversy, and rightly so. The more you dig into his background, the clearer it becomes: there’s a lot more to this candidate than meets the eye. So, let’s dive into the details and see what’s hiding beneath that polished exterior.

The Campaign Donations Saga

Lee Kindlon’s road to securing the District Attorney’s office isn’t exactly paved with gold. Instead, it’s paved with compromised campaign contributions from some truly dubious sources. It’s not exactly the kind of money you’d expect to flow into the coffers of someone seeking to uphold justice in Albany County.

In July 2012, the Times Union reported that Kindlon accepted donations from executives at First Global Billing, a company deeply tied to high-risk industries like adult entertainment, online gambling, and “private money lending.” These industries are hardly known for their squeaky-clean image, but hey, when you’re running for office, I guess you do what you have to do to keep the lights on—right? The donations were sizable, and while Kindlon may have thought that accepting money from such sources was just part of the game, it raised eyebrows among those who care about integrity in public office.

The Donors: First Global Billing

It’s not just about the donations themselves—it’s about where the money’s coming from. First Global Billing, the company behind many of the contributions, is a merchant services firm that caters to some of the riskiest clients around: adult entertainment companies, online gaming sites, and private money lenders. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that these are not exactly the most reputable industries.

To add insult to injury, the Times Union investigation revealed that some of the executives at First Global Billing were tied to groups with names like “L.A.dult Industry Professionals” and “Online Gaming and Gambling Professionals.” Are you getting the picture here? This isn’t some innocent mix-up. These are industries that operate in legal gray areas, to say the least. And Lee Kindlon didn’t just accept these donations—he gladly took them without any clear indication that he was concerned about the potential ethical implications.

The Response: Deflect, Discredit, Deny

When the Times Union article exposed the donations, Kindlon’s reaction was a textbook case of deflection. Instead of addressing the concerns head-on, he chose to accuse the media of bias and claimed that they had “skipped over a couple of important facts.” In an effort to downplay the issue, he insisted that the donations were from “gatekeepers” who had once helped to keep people away from the worst parts of the adult industry. Convenient, right?

But here’s the thing: after the article was published, the LinkedIn pages of First Global Billing executives were mysteriously edited. Suddenly, the groups and associations tied to the adult and gambling industries disappeared. It’s not hard to connect the dots here: when you’ve been caught in a shady situation, the natural inclination is to clean up your online presence to make it look less suspicious. And that’s exactly what happened. Rather than coming clean and owning up to the questionable nature of his donations, Kindlon chose to play the blame game and suggested that the real story was about contributions to his opponent, David Soares.

A Pattern of Poor Judgment

But let’s not kid ourselves here. This isn’t an isolated incident of a candidate accepting a few dubious contributions. It’s part of a larger pattern of questionable associations and poor decision-making. Kindlon’s willingness to accept money from individuals with ties to high-risk industries raises serious concerns about his judgment. If he’s willing to overlook the ethical implications of these donations in order to fund his campaign, what else is he willing to overlook once he’s in office?

It’s not just about a few questionable donations—it’s about the type of people who are supporting him. These are individuals deeply embedded in industries that operate on the edge of legality, and Kindlon has shown no hesitance to take their money. If that’s not a red flag, then what is?

Conclusion: A Candidate with Questions to Answer

In conclusion, Lee Kindlon’s campaign is riddled with ethical lapses and questionable associations that should give any voter or investor serious pause. His ties to high-risk industries, deflection of legitimate concerns, and refusal to take accountability for his actions send a clear message that he’s willing to cut corners to get ahead. A District Attorney should be someone who upholds transparency, integrity, and sound judgment, not someone who sidesteps responsibility and cozies up to dubious figures for personal gain. The people of Albany deserve better, and it’s time to scrutinize his record and hold him accountable before his campaign gains any more momentum.