Rep. Scott Murphy paid $23,100 in the last three months to Global Strategy Group, a Democratic polling firm which recently paid a $2 million settlement in connection with a pay-to-play investigation. Murphy’s quarterly filing shows the payments to Global were made on Feb. 4 and 24 for polling. They were Murphy’s largest expenditures (others include payments to Act Blue, for Murphy’s fund-raisers and some travel) of the quarter, during which he raised $475,000. Global Strategy Group acknowledged to Cuomo’s investigators that they acted as an unlicensed placement agent when they arranged a meeting with Intermedia Partners and Comptroller Tom DiNapoli in 2007. Intermedia’s investment from the state’s common retirement fund was increased thereafter. The firm has many marquis Democratic clients: it advised former Gov. Eliot Spitzer in his 2006 election and is currently on retainer to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. Murphy has used Global as his pollster since his 2009 special election. Gillibrand’s Republican opponent David Malpass has called on her to break with Global, and other Republicans (including Doug Hoffman, the likely Conservative Party candidate against Rep. Bill Owens) are issuing similar calls.... “We have spoken with Global Strategy Group are satisfied that they have worked with the Attorney General’s office to resolve the issue,” said Josh Schwerin, a Murphy spokesman. “Furthermore, it is evident that this incident is unrelated to our relationship with the firm and our campaign will continue to employ their services.”