Governor Cuomo has received $ 47 million in direct campaign contributions between December 31, 2010 and November 30, 2014. (reinventalbany.org)
It's worth noting that the calculated totals listed above combine direct campaign contributions (which are limited by law; see this Washington Post data visualization for only those figures) as well as outside money spent on behalf of candidates from the NRA's PACs and directly from the NRA's 501 (c)(4) social welfare unit. (fortune.com)
The U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in the so - called Citizens United case, which allowed almost unchecked independent expenditures by corporations and unions, also made it nearly impossible for candidates to block outside campaign efforts, whether positive or negative — unlike direct campaign contributions. (therealdeal.com)