According to recent filings made to the Suffolk County Board of Elections, East Hampton Mayor Jerry Larsen has returned $33,000 in donations made to his Jerry Larsen for Town Supervisor campaign following the East Hampton Town Democratic Committee’s accusation after his January filing that he had accepted donations over the legal limit.
In a Feb. 4 letter, Rich Schaffer, the chairman of the Suffolk County Democratic Committee, gave Mr. Larsen a week to return $62,450 from 37 donors he said had contributed over the allowed limits.
Mr. Larsen subsequently announced in late February that he had returned some funds, but the amount returned and to whom was made public only on May 4, with the most recent filing to the Suffolk County Board of Elections.
According to the Suffolk County Board of Elections 2025 Contribution Limitations Index, in the Town of East Hampton the maximum contribution that can be made in the town supervisor primary race is $1,000 per year. Mr. Larsen’s campaign had accepted 14 separate $5,000 donations from corporations for the primary race. Other individuals also contributed over the $1,000 maximum.
The reported returns were all to corporations. No returns were reported to at least 22 individuals who donated $1,225 each.
Of the 13 reported returns to the corporations, Mr. Larsen’s campaign often returned a portion of the overage. For example, Bulgin & Associates originally donated $5,000. The campaign disclosed a refund of $3,000.
“We retained $1,000 for the primary election and $1,000 for the general election,” read an explanation of the filing. “General funds will be earmarked for use in the general election only and will be refunded if Jerry does not win the primary.”
In another example, 15 West End Road L.L.C. donated $5,000. The Larsen campaign took $1,000 for each member of the L.L.C., in this instance Matthew Nord and Erika Weinberg, for the primary campaign, and another $1,000 from each for the general, returning $1,000.
The Suffolk County Democratic Committee took issue with breaking the L.L.C.s into their individual components. Alexandra VanDerlofske, the executive director of the committee, said in an email that the contributions were originally disclosed as a single corporate contribution, but that the Larsen campaign is retroactively attributing the funds to separate entities to justify retaining amounts above the limit.
No money was returned at all to two other limited liability companies that contributed over the limit: Tarbet & Lester, P.L.L.C., and East Hampton Equities, L.L.C. Tarbet & Lester had donated $2,500, while East Hampton Equities had donated $4,050.
Four limited liability companies that donated to the Larsen campaign were tied to Leonard Ackerman, a local lawyer. One was tied to his late wife, another to a living trust for two of his daughters, and another to his law firm.
As with his other corporate filings and returns, Mr. Larsen’s campaign divided the original donation between L.L.C. members and campaigns, returning a portion and noting that money held for a potential general election race would be returned if he loses the June 23 primary to Town Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez.
The campaign returned the full $5,000 donation to the fourth L.L.C. that bore the Ackerman name, Hook Mill Associates, noting that “All entity members have already contributed the maximum amount, resulting in a full refund.”
In the fall, Mr. Ackerman also donated $500 to Ms. Burke-Gonzalez’s campaign.
“New York State’s campaign finance laws are not optional,” said Bryan Sokolowski, the political director of the Suffolk County Democratic Committee. “They exist to ensure fairness, public trust, and transparency. Jerry Larsen accepted several contributions in excess of the campaign finance guidelines. Before even appearing on a ballot, Jerry Larsen has already attempted to deceive the voters of East Hampton. The Suffolk Dems are happy to hear that Jerry Larsen amended his most recent campaign finance filing; however, voters should still question why Jerry Larsen returned certain over-the-limit contributions but not others.”
Mayor Larsen shot back, calling the original errors honest mistakes.
“This is exactly the kind of political attack people are tired of,” he wrote in a text. “Our campaign amended its filing and is in full compliance. It was an honest mistake that was corrected through the proper legal process. There was no deception, no scheme, and no attempt to mislead anyone. Campaign finance reports are regularly reviewed, amended when necessary, and corrected.”
“This is what leadership is,” he continued. “You take accountability and then take action to make corrections if errors are made.”
He said his finance team has proof that they are in compliance, while also noting that Ms. Burke-Gonzalez’s team filed its January return four days late.
