Landlord group quietly donated $500K to state Republicans

RSA contributed money to GOP group rather than forming political action committee

From left: RSA's Joseph Strasburg and the state senate
From left: RSA's Joseph Strasburg and the state senate

The Rent Stabilization Association quietly donated $500,000 on state Republican candidates in the midterm elections.

Rather than forming a political action committee — which is what the Real Estate Board of New York did with Jobs for New York — the RSA gave to the Washington D.C.-based Republican State Leadership Committee, according to Internal Revenue Service records cited by Crain’s.

In turn, the committee donated $885,000 to Balance New York, a group that helped Republican candidates in New York state in competitive races. Because the money passed indirectly to candidates, RSA’s name didn’t show up on the state Board of Elections website, the website reported.

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RSA represents rent-regulated landlords in the city. Rent regulation laws are set to expire in June. The Republicans took control over the state senate during this year’s midterm elections.

In addition, RSA’s own PAC  gave $25,000 directly to Balance New York in December 2013, Crain’s reported. [Crain’s] — Claire Moses