Glenwood’s Leonard Litwin is state’s biggest donor to senate campaigns

Glenwood Management President Leonard Litwin, who earlier this year was named the Real Estate Board of New York’s first-ever lifetime honorary chairman, has donated more than $900,000 to the campaigns of New York State Senate candidates so far this election cycle, the New York World reported.

In order to legally get around the state’s $150,000 annual political donation cap on contributions, Litwin’s donations, which have largely been to support Republican candidates, have been through limited liability companies associated with Glenwood. In total, Litwin has invested about $1.8 million in local and state campaigns since January 2011, the World said.

“[Litwin’s] definitely become the biggest donor in the state,” Bill Mahoney, New York Public Interest Research Group’s research coordinator, told the World.

Among the Republican State Senate candidates Litwin is supporting are Eric Ulrich, vying for Democratic State Sen. Joseph Addabbo’s Queens seat; Bob Cohen, of Westchester County; and Majority Leader Dean Skelos. Litwin donated $40,000, $55,000 and $45,000 to those candidates respectively. [New York World] — Katherine Clarke