Bad enough that Mayor Bill de Blasio’s presidential campaign has raised less cash total than South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg has raised in New York City. Far worse is where Blas is getting his dough.
Specifically: As FiveThirtyEight notes, more than 90% of the $1.1 million that Mr. Progressive raised through June 30 came from “big donors” (those giving more than $200) — by far the largest proportion of any 2020 candidate.
And most of the cash has come from unions and businesses eager to buy (or repay) City Hall’s favor. That includes a maxed-out $2,800 gift from Brooklyn Democratic Party counsel Frank Carone, who recently repped a deal where the city bought 21 buildings for $173.5 million, $30 million over appraised value.
Meanwhile, 54 lawyers with the firm Paul, Weiss kicked in a total of $47,000 — which sure looks like gratitude for the hefty sums the firm collected when de Blasio settled the federal stop-and-frisk suit.
De Blasio raked in at least $33,600 from associates of BD Hotels, which has the city’s largest portfolio of independent hotels and loves to see the mayor go after Airbnb.
The campaign made a big deal of returning just four donations from people on its official list of those with business before the city. Hah! As Politico notes, it kept the checks from their wives and other execs at the same companies.
De Blasio’s still selling City Hall, and barely even trying to pretend otherwise.
Source: Read Full Article