CBS News reports tonight a 6:00 on todays Daily News exclusive and #murphy4senate press conference. As part of Mayor de Blasio’s drive to help Democrats retake the state Senate, a key de Blasio fundraiser hit up a city developer for a suggested contribution of $50,000, an email obtained by the Daily News shows. The solicitation made the developer “feel uncomfortable” in part because he deals with the city on permitting and other land-use issues, a person who spoke with him said. “He wasn’t sure how to play it because he has business with the city,” the source said. “While he likes the mayor, he doesn’t feel the Senate Democrats are friendly to the real estate industry.” It was not immediately clear Wednesday if the developer, who did not wish to be identified, made the donation. His name is not listed among the donors whose contributions already have been reported to the state Board of Elections. Earlier Wednesday, The News reported that another major player in the citys business community, supermarket mogul John Catsimatidis, gave $50,000 to the Democrats’ cause after de Blasio asked him for help. Catsimatidis said he ponied up because he does business in the city and “I just wanted to show an indication I was willing to work with” de Blasio. De Blasio is leading a coalition of unions and activists fighting for Democratic control of the Senate. The solicitations show the extent to which the mayor is putting his political and fund-raising muscle behind the effort. Sam Nagourney, finance director of de Blasio’s 2013 mayoral campaign, asked the unnamed developer for a donation in an email, which was obtained by The News. “We are focusing on the four most winnable races at this point,” the email said, listing four Democrats battling for Senate seats upstate. The email gave the option of donating to one of three entities that “can supplement the campaigns’ direct efforts.” It listed them as the Ulster County Democratic Committee, the state Senate Democratic Campaign Committee and the state Working Families Party. The e-mail then listed the “rules regarding giving,” including, “Maximum amount: $102,300.” “If you can contribute $50,000, it would be a huge help,” Nagourney concluded. Reached by phone, Nagourney said he would call back. He did not. Nor did he answer his phone when The News called him again. “This is no different than national Democrats working to raise money for the DNC and state parties,” de Blasio spokesman Dan Levitan said. “We are proud to support these local and state party organizations that are committed to electing progressive Democrats.” The News reported Wednesday that Catsimatidis’ $50,000 donation was one of nine mega contributions totaling $452,000 made to the Putnam County Democratic Committee on two days earlier this month. The committee quickly turned around and transferred $433,000 of the money to the campaigns of Sen. Terry Gipson and Senate hopeful Justin Wagner. Because the money was given to the party committee, and then funneled to the campaign accounts of Gipson and Wagner, the Democrats were able to “circumvent” state campaign finance rules that cap donations to individual candidates at $10,300, a government watchdog group told The News. Unshackle Upstate, an upstate business group, on Wednesday said the donations were part of a “political money laundering scheme” and demanded that the Gipson and Wagner campaigns return the money. Gipson’s Republican opponent, Sue Serino, called on the U.S. Attorney to investigate whether the Dems “knowingly and willfully attempted to hide the true identity of...donors to avoid contribution limits.” Democratic operatives involved in the effort said the donations were lawful and publicly reported. The News on Wednesday found additional examples of Democrats using county committees to funnel money to individual state Senate campaigns. The Ulster County Democratic Committee on Oct. 14 took in $364,000 from four labor unions and a Manhattan-based corporation. On Oct. 17 and 20, the committee turned around and sent $160,000 to the campaign of Sen. Cecilia Tkacyzk, who is in a tight race. And the Monroe County Democratic Committee received $100,000 on Oct. 17 from the Communications Workers of America District One PAC, before sending $60,000 to Sen. Ted O’Brien three days later. With the stakes high, the donations are part of a financial free-for all that has engulfed the Senate races. New York City real estate interests, hedge funders and Washington lobbyists have donated nearly $8 million to Super PACs formed to support of upstate Senate Republican candidates. And a Super PAC formed by the New York League of Conservation Voters has raised more than $1 million, including $350,000 from former Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The league is targeting four state Senate races, including one in Buffalo that could determine which party wins control.
Posted on: Thu, 30 Oct 2014 22:57:01 +0000
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