Anthony Weiner is still one of the most well-endowed politicians in the city.
The former Democratic lawmaker, whose career came crashing down after he got caught sending out sexy photos of his congressional member, still has plenty of cash in his political war chest and is maintaining a campaign office in Midtown.
Records released yesterday in his latest financial disclosure filing show Weiner has $4.5 million remaining in a campaign fund from his aborted mayoral runs.
In the past six months, the ex-congressman spent $39,474 from that fund. Most of the money — $33,194 — went toward rent for an office he’s had for years at 420 Lexington Ave. near Grand Central.
Another $136.09 was paid for what was described as “shredding,” while phone services for Verizon cost about $1,800.
One source who knows Weiner but hasn’t spoken to him in months said he thought there was a lease involved that couldn’t easily be broken, which would explain the rent payments.
But Weiner’s intentions remain one of the most intriguing questions in local politics.
The $4.5 million in his campaign treasury is an enormous sum and is more than any other candidate in the city right now except for City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who’s leading the early polls for mayor in 2013.
There’s nothing to prevent Weiner from spending all or part of his huge bankroll for political office again.
“He’s not giving it back,” said the source.
In fact, Weiner would be eligible for public matching funds if he ran for any city position that’s open through 2013.
In other filings, Comptroller John Liu reported pulling in $579,000 over the last six months in his quest for City Hall — even though federal authorities have been investigating his campaign finances for months and his former campaign treasurer is facing trial.
By comparison, Quinn raised about $700,000. Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, another mayoral hopeful, said he had collected more than $800,000 as of the filing cutoff on Wednesday.
Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer and former Comptroller Bill Thompson, both in the mayoral mix, haven’t released their numbers yet.
Thompson had about $760,000 in the bank as of January, the least of the major mayoral candidates.
Long-shot contender Tom Allon said he’s now at his goal of $250,000.
Quinn campaign consultant Josh Isay said she has about $5 million in the bank, has maxed out in fund-raising for the primary and will be able to use her latest contributions toward an anticipated runoff of the top two finishers in the Democratic mayoral primary.
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