« The Ratner family and allies gave big to Kucinich's 2008 challenger | Main | Ratner, Botstein and Gehry: birds of a feather »
May 25, 2009
Yassky, IND and Vito Lopez
Daily Gotham
Atlantic Yards gets a few dishonorable mentions in David Michaelson's update of the political players (and pay-to-players) on the Brooklyn political scene.
Remember when an organization largely funded by Atlantic Yards developer Bruce Ratner appeared on the dance card of City Councilman David Yassky, who is now candidate for NYC Comptroller:
A similar situation arose when David Yassky was endorsed by the president of an organization called BUILD. President of BUILD endorses Yassky, Yassky almost immediately turned around to propose the city (that's your money and mine) fund BUILD. Pay to play?
So we already have a problem with Yassky and money...a bad combination for someone running for Comptroller, the person in charge of the city's money.
But Yassky also claims to be "reform." And IND, a "reform" club, endorsed him. David Yassky donated to Vito Lopez, the very Party Boss that IND claims to be independent of and claims to oppose.
And speaking about the Brooklyn Machine party boss, the NJ Nets minority owner and brother of Bruce is a supporter:
An earlier Vito Lopez connection I focused on, back in 2006, was when Michael Ratner, [brother] of Atlantic Yards developer Bruce Ratner, donated no less than $3,100 to Vito Lopez. That is more than Scotto, Yassky and Weprin put together. Right after this donation from Michael Ratner to Vito Lopez, Vito Lopez proposed a bill in the Assembly that basically gave so much to Bruce Ratner's Atlantic Yards project that even Ratner supporter Mike Bloomberg balked and opposed it. Vito's payback to the Ratners was eventually rebuffed.
And is it another Ratner connection that Barclay #2 Realty Corp also donated to Vito Lopez? I am not sure if this is the same Barclay's that spent so much cash buying the naming rights to Ratner's arena (with no team??? not sure) or not. But Barclay #2 Realty Corp donated $2,500 to Lopez. But then again developers and chiropractors are his main donors anyway.
NoLandGrab: "Barclay #2 Realty Corp." is the legal name of a partnership formed to manage a 66-unit co-op apartment building in Queens — not an affiliate of British bank Barclays.
Posted by lumi at May 25, 2009 5:46 AM