Here's a WSJ article about DFER's activities in NYS:

The charter-school movement appears to be catching up to the teachers union in political giving to Albany.

With the help of hedge-fund managers and other Wall Street financiers, charter-school advocates gave more than $600,000 to Albany political candidates and party committees since January, according to the latest campaign filings. That's more than twice as much as in prior reporting periods, according to allies of charter schools, which are publicly funded but privately run.

Pro-charter donations appear to have surpassed the $500,000 or so that candidates raised from teachers unions during the six-month period.

-------------------------