Developer who received $3.5M city grant linked to de Blasio campaign donations

Relatives and affiliates of Salmar Properties head donated $55K in July

Liberty View Industrial Plaza in Sunset Park and Mayor Bill de Blasio
Liberty View Industrial Plaza in Sunset Park and Mayor Bill de Blasio

Family and business affiliates of a developer who received a $3.5 million city grant in 2014 donated $55,000 to Bill de Blasio’s re-election campaign last month.

Several members of the Rusi family made donations between July 6 and July 11. Sal Rusi, who didn’t donate any money, is the CEO of Salmar Properties, the New York Post reported.  The firm owns the 1.1 million-square-foot Manufacturing Complex Liberty View Industrial Plaza in Sunset Park, for which it received a $3.5 million grant from the Economic Development Corporation in December 2014.

One of the donors, Sal Rusi’s son Selim, donated $4,950 even though he was barred from giving that amount because he does business with the city. A spokesperson for the New York City Campaign Finance Board told the Post that it asked the de Blasio campaign to return most Selim Rusi’s donated money.

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A spokesperson for de Blasio’s campaign claimed “to draw a connection with a grant awarded almost two years ago is beyond absurd.”

Three relatives of Marvin Schein, who co-owns Salmar, also donated $4,950 each between July 6 and 11. [NYP]Konrad Putzier