IT’S CAPPELLI: Westchester Real Estate Developer Bankrolling New Rochelle Democrat Mayoral Candidate

$100,000 Windfall is Dark Money no more

NEW ROCHELLE, NY (June 9, 2023) — Louis Cappelli, his son Michael Cappelli, and four other Cappelli employees, contributed a stunning $100,000 in a two-day period to the Westchester County Democratic Committee with the bulk of that money transferred within the week to a candidate whose campaign coffers were in the red with more than a month to go in the Democratic Primary.

“Friends of Yadira” may not have many friends among New Rochelle Democrats, who have largely shied away from contributing to New Rochelle Mayoral Candidate Yadira Ramos-Herbert, but she has one wealthy friend and that friend may be the only one she needs to get to the finish line in the Mayoral Primary which ends on June 27 (early voting starts next week).

As suggested by our reporting last weekend, the fat cat real estate developer behind the $60,000 laundered through the Westchester County Democratic Committee to “Friends of Yadira” is Louis Cappelli, and friends.

New York State Board of Elections records filed earlier today show Louis Cappelli wrote a check for $50,000 on May 11. Bruce Berg and Peter Palazzo wrote checks for $10,000 each on the same day. Andrew Attara, Michael Cappelli and Paul H. Slaney chipped in another $10,000 each on May 12.

Bruce Berg, Peter Palazzo, Andrew Attara, Michael Cappelli, the brother of Louis, all work for Cappelli companies. Paul H. Slaney is General Counsel for the Cappelli Organization.

$60,000 was transferred to the Friends of Yadira campaign committee on May 18.

The contributions come several weeks after New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson sought and obtained a list of developers doing business in New Rochelle.

After days of repeatedly denying it was required to do so, the Westchester County Democratic Committee belatedly filed its 32-Day Primary Election Campaign Finance Disclosure Form. The filing comes two weeks late, following a mountain of criticism after Robert Cox first reported in his Words in Edgewise Substack newsletter that New Rochelle Mayoral Candidate Yadira Ramos-Herbert received an unprecedented $60,000 direct transfer from the WCDC.

During the filing period, the WCDC 173 monetary contributions totaling $132,795. Setting aside the Cappelli windfall, that amount is $32,795 from 167 monetary contributions at an average value of $196.

We sought comment from both Mayoral candidates.

Damon Maher: “I’m saddened by this attempted perversion of the democratic process but also not totally surprised. Now the question is: Who decides the future of New then Rochelle? The people, or one mega-millionaire real estate developer?

Yadira Ramos-Herbert: N/A

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