2006 New York State Comptroller election

• Julia Willebrand (Green), educator and peace activist
• John Cain (Libertarian), insurance broker
• Willie Cotton (Socialist Workers), journalist and former candidate for congress

• Michael Cronmiller (Right to Life), failed to obtain the required signatures for the 2006 election cycle

Alan Hevesi was the nominee of the Democratic Party for Comptroller. He served as Comptroller of New York City from 1994 to 2001 when he attempted a run for Mayor of New York City. Failing that, Hevesi ran for state Comptroller in 2002 defeating Republican challenger John Faso. In 2006, controversial allegations regarding Hevesi's tenure as Comptroller arose including admitted use of a state employee as a chauffeur for his wife and the purported use of state employees along the campaign trail.[2][3] At a commencement address he delivered at Queens College on June 1, 2006, Hevesi told his audience that Senator Charles Schumer was so tough he would "put a bullet between the president's eyes if he could get away with it." Several hours after his remarks, Hevesi apologized for his comments, calling them "beyond dumb," "remarkably stupid" and "incredibly moronic."[4]

On October 12, 2006, Albany County District Attorney David Soares' office acknowledged that it is officially investigating actions by Hevesi regarding the public employee hired to chauffeur his wife. If Hevesi is found to have violated state ethics laws, he could be fined or possibly removed from office.[5] On October 16, 2006, Hevesi yielded control over his office to longtime political consultant Hank Morris.

On October 23, 2006, the New York State Ethics Commission deemed that Hevesi's actions involving the chauffeur violated state law, finding that:[6]

• Hevesi used two state employees as drivers
• One of the drivers used a car owned by the state
• There was a "low threat risk" against Hevesi's wife with no documented threats against her and only one against him – which they discounted as not serious
• Hevesi never intended to reimburse the state

On October 26, 2006, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Eliot Spitzer withdrew his endorsement of Hevesi saying, "Recent developments in the Comptroller's race are deeply troubling. The outcome of the Ethics Commission investigation presents information that compromises Alan Hevesi's ability to fulfill his responsibilities."[7]

On November 4, 2006, Hevesi was ordered to pay an additional $90,000. "Considering the record as a whole, I believe there is a preponderance of evidence that the comptroller knowingly and intentionally violated New York's public officers law," Kelley said in his 24-page report to Pataki.[8]

Christopher Callaghan was the nominee of the Republican Party for Comptroller. Callaghan was Treasurer for Saratoga County from 1997 to early 2006 when he resigned to begin his campaign for state comptroller. There were reports that state party leaders were trying to recruit Rockland County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef to run for comptroller against Treasurer Callaghan. Vanderhoef announced that he was not running for comptroller and instead announced his candidacy for lieutenant governor. Callaghan spent much of the summer traveling to the many county fairs throughout New York.

On September 21, 2006, Alan Hevesi admitted that he hired an employee of the state to drive around his wife after Callaghan made a public statement on the matter and called the "Comptroller's hotline."[9] Callaghan used the Comptroller's hotline during the campaign to call in misuses of government funds specifically found in Hevesi's office.

• Poughkeepsie Journal: Callaghan[10]
• New York Sun: Callaghan[11]
• New York Post: Callaghan[12]
• Times Herald-Record: Callaghan[13]
• Newsday: Callaghan[14]
• The New York Times: Callaghan[15]
• New York Daily News: Hevesi[16]
• Buffalo News: Callaghan[17]
• Brooklyn Papers: Callaghan[18]
• Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Callaghan[19]
• Jamestown Post Journal[20]
• Troy Record: Callaghan[21]
• Syracuse Post Standard: Callaghan[22]

^† Of voters polled in Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga, and Schenectady counties.