The de Blasio administration assembled a spreadsheet of major campaign donors it had in mind when vetting potential appointments to prestigious city positions – a list that included Durst Organization chair Douglas Durst and his daughter Helena.
The spreadsheet, compiled during Mayor Bill de Blasio’s first months in office in 2014, featured names of donors, lobbyists and celebrities that de Blasio’s team had in mind for mayoral appointments to high profile roles on boards and committees.
In addition to featuring no less than 14 of the mayor’s top campaign donation bundlers, the list included Douglas and Helena Durst, who were eventually appointed to the mayor’s host committee for the city’s bid to hold the 2016 Democratic National Convention, according to the New York Daily News.
Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen was to be consulted on the appointments of both Dursts, according to the spreadsheet, which also specifically delineated the candidates’ business ties and financial support for the mayor. It also suggested contacting Durst executive Jordan Barowitz, who bundled nearly $25,000 for de Blasio.
Another developer to make the list was Cooper Square Realty founder David Kuperberg, who was described as having “showed up early” in his support for the mayor, according to the Daily News.
The revelation of the spreadsheet may very well increase the pressure on the de Blasio administration, which is currently facing federal and state investigations into its campaign fundraising practices and allegations of favorable treatment to donors – including those with real estate ties. [NYDN] – Rey Mashayekhi