A formal complaint has been filed with the New York State Board of Elections’ Division of Election Law Enforcement regarding alleged campaign finance violations by Friends of Dave Chan, the official committee supporting Town Council candidate David Chan in Islip’s 2nd Council District.
The complaint, dated October 1, 2025, and addressed to Chief Enforcement Counsel Michael L. Johnson, details a series of unreported donations collected through a GoFundMe fundraising page during May and June of 2025. The page, reportedly organized by an individual named Lee Kennedy, solicited contributions on behalf of Chan’s campaign.
According to the filing, several donations—including $250 from Lindsay Howe, $200 from James O’Donnell, and $100 from contributors listed as “Al and Cathy,” along with additional small contributions—were never disclosed in the campaign’s official July 2025 periodic report. That filing notably listed no unitemized contributions, despite the public record of donations displayed on the GoFundMe page.
The complaint alleges that the omission of these contributions raises “serious concerns about transparency, compliance, and the potential use of prohibited or straw donor channels.”
Following the release of the 32-Day Pre-General Election filings, the issue appears to remain unresolved. It is unclear whether the contributions raised through the online fundraiser were ever deposited into Chan’s official campaign account or properly reported to state authorities.
The resident who filed the complaint, identifying themselves as a voter in Islip’s 2nd Council District, requested that the Board of Elections “immediately investigate this matter and take appropriate enforcement action to ensure compliance with New York State Election Law.”
The GoFundMe page referenced in the complaint — https://www.gofundme.com/f/join-us-in-supporting-david-chan — has since been removed from public view.
Neither David Chan nor Lee Kennedy—a former Connetquot Board of Education Trustee believed to have served as the fundraiser’s organizer—could be reached for comment at the time of publication.
