Queens Republican NY State Senate candidate Stefano Forte received cash from far-right Colorado billionaires

ALBANY — A young Queens Republican eyeing Albany is getting some out-of-state help from an ultra-wealthy couple known for funding far-right candidates across the country.

Roberta and Tatnall Hillman have maxed out contributions to Stefano Forte, a self-proclaimed conservative “populist” running against Democratic Sen. Toby Ann Stavisky in a recently redrawn state Senate District 11 stretching across northern Queens.

Republican candidate for New York State Senate - District 11, Stefano Forte.

The Colorado couple has given Forte $11,800, according to state campaign filing records.

That puts the 24-year-old from Queens in the same camp as right-wing Reps. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who received campaign contributions from the Hillmans in recent election cycles.

The Hillmans are notoriously reclusive and refuse interviews, news outlets in their home state report. Attempts to contact them were unsuccessful.

Like many of his fellow Republicans, Forte has focused his campaign on crime and rolling back bail reforms as well as pandemic mandates and cutting taxes.

Forte, however, has ties to far-right groups, including Republicans for National Renewal, which hosted an Arizona conference the Senate hopeful attended last year alongside white nationalists and members of alt-right groups, including the Proud Boys.

New York City Councilwoman Vickie Paladino (R-Queens).

Along with controversial New York City Councilwoman Vickie Paladino (R-Queens), Forte has railed against a city-funded program that supports drag queens reading stories to elementary school kids.

“This is disgusting and frankly as much a breach of parental trust in our school system as a waste of tax dollars,” Forte tweeted in June. “Our children should be learning to read and write, not learning about gender confusion in schools.”

Paladino’s son, Thomas Paladino, has received $6,500 from Forte’s campaign working as a consultant.

Forte has painted Stavisky, his Democratic opponent, as an out-of-touch career politician. The 83-year-old has served in the Senate since 1999 when she won a special election held following the death of her husband, Sen. Leonard Stavisky.

New York State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky (D-Queens)

Forte isn’t the only conservative candidate in the Empire State to receive financial backing from the Hillmans.

The pair also gave $3,000 to Republican gubernatorial hopeful Lee Zeldin, a Long Island congressman who voted to overturn the 2020 election and is running against Democratic Gov. Hochul.

Michael Henry, the Republican challenging Democratic Attorney General Letitia James, received $5,000 from the Hillmans.

The couple also gave $25,000 to RISE NY, a Super PAC focused on registering Republican voters.

Forte’s campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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