Suffolk Demcratic chairman, allies lend party $195,000

The Suffolk Democrats' latest campaign filing shows that county chairman Richard Schaffer and four key allies loaned the party $195,000 to get through the fall campaign.

Schaffer loaned the party $80,000. Democratic Elections Commissioner Anita Katz and Ronald Kluesner, chief of staff in Babylon where Schaffer is also town supervisor, loaned the party $25,000 each.

Meanwhile, Andrea Wexler, wife of William Wexler, an attorney with whom Schaffer shares a law office, loaned $50,000, while attorney Jack Braslow, who also practices in the same office as Schaffer, loaned the party $15,000.

Schaffer has said the no-interest loans will be repaid after the party’s $300-a-head fall fundraiser scheduled for Monday night at Villa Lombardi’s in Holbrook. Schaffer said he also approached former Brookhaven Democratic chairwoman Marsha Laufer for a potential loan.

Laufer, whose husband, Henry, was one of founders of Renaissance Technologies, responded with a $50,000 contribution to the party.

Although County Executive Steve Bellone filed a campaign finance report last week showing he had $1.8 million unpsent in his coffers, Schaffer said he did not approach him about a loan.

“I didn’t ask him because he’s busy with his campaign,” Schaffer said. ”And I thought it was better to secure the loans with people with whom I have a personal relationship and not involved in running for election.”