Mayor Alvin Brown’s campaign will return about $19,100 raised at a New York fundraiser hosted by embattled comedian Bill Cosby in September.
Dave Beattie, Brown’s campaign spokesman, said the mayor requested contributions connected with the Sept. 23 event at The Harvard Club be returned.
Donations were $10,000 for a host, $5,000 for a friend, $2,500 for a supporter and $1,000 for a guest.
Matt Corrigan, the University of North Florida’s Political Science and Public Administration chair, said the campaign really didn’t have a choice.
“The whole trip to New York was just a disaster … at this point, with all the allegations swirling, they really have to,” he said.
Brown was criticized by some council members because he attended the out-of-state fundraiser on the same night the city’s $1 billion budget was being approved.
Corrigan said he was sure the campaign was “trying to do a little defense” before the meat of the mayoral election season starts, when negative campaign ads would start
As the incumbent, Brown will get attacked in such ads, Corrigan said, so minimizing damage early is the right strategy.
Cosby also was Brown’s guest at the mayor’s 2013 education summit.
Sexual assault allegations against Cosby date back decades, but have resurfaced recently, leading many to distance themselves from the legendary comic.
This week, NBC and Netflix shelved projects they were working on with the comedian. TV Land has pulled “Cosby Show” reruns from the air, according to several news reports. Cosby also had appearances canceled on David Letterman and Queen Latifah’s talk shows.
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