While being sued by the city and Mayor Eric Adams’ administration, two prominent real estate executives appear to be throwing financial weight behind his biggest rival in the upcoming election.
Atlantic Development Group’s Peter Fine and A&E Real Estate’s Douglas Eisenberg both contributed six-figure sums to “Fix the City,” the political action committee backing Andrew Cuomo’s mayoral bid, Gothamist reported. Both are also the subject of lawsuits filed by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development.
Fine contributed $250,000 to the PAC. He’s also been sued more than a dozen times in the last year by the city over alleged violations across his buildings.
Eisenberg, meanwhile, gave $125,000 to the PAC. He’s a defendant in four ongoing lawsuits regarding allegedly dangerous conditions at properties in Queens.
There’s nothing illegal about real estate executives contributing to campaigns and PACs are not allowed to coordinate with the candidates they support. But the contributions could raise ethical questions regarding how the contributions could serve the developers, should Cuomo be elected mayor.
“It’s a terrible look,” Common Cause New York’s Susan Lerner told the publication. “It appears to be trying to buy access and influence over a candidate who is reported to be the front-runner.”
Fine did not respond to Gothamist’s requests for comment, but Eisenberg did.
“One thing has nothing to do with the other,” the A&E honcho said in a statement, referencing the relationship (or lack thereof) between contributing to the PAC and the status of lawsuits and potential future litigation. He added that the company doesn’t expect special treatment and is working towards resolving its issue with HPD.
As of May 6, Cuomo’s PAC has raised more than $7 million. Roughly half of that appears to come from real estate executives and construction unions, including Vornado Realty Trust CEO Steve Roth, executives at The Arker Companies and a PAC tied to the New York City District Council of Carpenters.
— Holden Walter-Warner
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