Late donations grew Bellone's war chest

In a final flurry of contributions, Suffolk executive-elect Steve Bellone brought in $179,500 during the campaign's last 11 days, while his GOP foe, Suffolk Treasurer Angie Carpenter, reported collecting a respectable $110,000.

Carpenter got nine donations, including $44,000 each from Robert L. Mercer and his wife, Diana. Both use the address of Renaissance Technologies, a hedge fund sponsor where he is one of two chief executives.

James Simons, founder of the same hedge fund, was Bellone's second-biggest late donor, handing over $15,000 in two donations using his Fifth Avenue, Manhattan, address. Bellone's biggest contribution in the campaign's final days was $18,000 -- from developer Scott Rechler.

Both candidates, however, were outstripped in late donations by state Supreme Court Justice-elect Jerome Murphy, son-in-law of former Sen. Alfonse D'Amato, who received $190,600 during the run-up to Election Day, according to filings posted on the state Board of Elections website.

Murphy had the disadvantage of being listed last on a 10-candidate GOP slate for state Supreme Court on Tuesday's ballot. But he garnered the third-highest number of votes.

D'Amato got Rep. Peter King (R-Seaford) and former New York City Mayor Edward Koch to appear in ads for Murphy, and Koch sent out a mailing for him.

Among the biggest donors to Murphy were Joseph Allen of Manhattan and Hushang Ansary, a businessman and a former Iranian diplomat from Houston. Both gave $25,000.

-- Rick Brand