ALBANY -The state’s Democratic chairman is turning to Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton to help bail out the party, which faces a large debt from Carl McCall’s failed bid for governor, The Post has learned.
Chairman Herman “Denny” Farrell says the party has enough money to operate through March but is facing a deficit of several hundred thousand dollars if money is not raised by then.
Former President Bill Clinton has agreed to headline two fund-raisers next year to help alleviate the problem, Farrell said.
In a telephone interview with The Post, Farrell also called on Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Charles Schumer to step up.
“I would like Hillary and Chuck and other state officials to spend more time helping us raise money so we can be competitive in the coming year,” Farrell said.
Farrell said the two have always been quick to help, but now he needs more.
“I consider myself very lucky to have two Washington superstars like Chuck and Hillary,” he said.
Bill Clinton spokesman James Kennedy could not confirm the former president has agreed to participate in the two fund-raisers.
Hillary Clinton spokeswoman Jennifer Hanley said “the senator is committed to helping the state party any way that she can, and she will continue to raise funds.”
Schumer spokesman Phil Singer would not commit to increased fund-raising efforts, saying simply, “We look forward to working with the party to build it up over the next year.”
Farrell said raising money next year will be “harder than usual” because of McCall’s stunning loss and the fact that there is no major election.
Just how much the party has left will become public next month, when post-election campaign disclosure documents are filed with the state Board of Elections.
As of Oct. 25, the party had just $725,000, not including its housekeeping account, which had $37,699 in July, the date of the last required filing for that account.
The party had to float the McCall campaign more money than expected after fund-raising efforts were effectively shut down following revelations that the comptroller used his official stationery to seek jobs for relatives with firms doing business with the pension fund.
“We were dead the minute” the letters were revealed the last week of September in The Post, Farrell said. “Our money got shut down.”
He said he didn’t blame Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe for initially balking at fulfilling his full $500,000 commitment to McCall.
“The DNC always had other priorities,” he said. “I can’t say they were wrong. I would have liked to win the governorship, but I would have preferred to hold the Senate.”