New Democratic fundraising group brings in $1.2 million

North Carolina Democrats have a new political fundraising arm as they gear up for the 2020 elections.

The N.C. Democratic Leadership Committee is raising money for the governor and other Democrats on the Council of State, a collection of statewide elected officials that includes the state auditor and the attorney general.

The group, created in January, raised nearly $1.2 million over the last six months. It's a so-called "affiliated committee," a category in state campaign finance law that the legislature created in 2015.

Like the state political parties themselves, these groups can accept unlimited donations from people instead of dealing with the $5,400-per-election donation cap for traditional candidate committees.

They can also set up building committees to accept donations from corporations. The NCDLC has one of those to pay rent on an office at 133 Fayetteville St., but that account has had only about $11,000 run through it so far.

Lt. Gov. Dan Forest set up a Republican version of the group, the N.C. Republican Council of State Committee, in 2017. Its largest known donor, by far, has since been indicted on federal bribery charges.

The Democratic version is overseen by Scott Falmlen, a former executive director of the North Carolina Democratic Party and a top political operative for Gov. Roy Cooper.

The group's six figure donors in its first six months are Virginia B. Sall of Cary ($375,000), Amy Goldman Fowler of Rhinebeck, N.Y., ($150,000), John P. Sall of Cary ($125,000), Christy King Mack of New York ($100,000) and John J. Mack of New York ($100,000).

Campaign finance reports covering January through June are due Friday to the State Board of Elections. The NCDLC's was filed earlier this week.