Chris Bragg reports in the Times Union that entrepreneur Charlie Tebele's family has donated nearly $300,000 to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s election campaign. Since December, Tebele's company Digital Gadgets LLC received $637 million in taxpayer funds to provide the state Department of Health at-home COVID-19 test kits. There was no competitive bidding before the taxpayer money was paid out. State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli's OpenBookNY website has no record of a formal contract being signed between Digital Gadgets and the Department of Health. "These purchase orders did not come to (DiNapoli's office) for review and approval," said Jennifer Freeman, a spokesperson for DiNapoli's office. Another official says the company came through with the test kits. "Digital Gadgets successfully delivered all the tests the state needed within the requested timeline," said Bryan Lesswing, a Hochul senior advisor. Lesswing claims that Digital Gadgets was picked because they were the only company that could provide many tests before schools reopened in early January 2022. Previously, Digital Gadgets failed to fulfill large COVID-19 contracts with New York City, and with the administration of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Read more about this story in the Times Union.