Pol running for City Council used public housing for campaign work, opponent says

Mark Gjonaj accused of having his staff work out of the Throgs Neck Houses

Mark Gjonaj
Mark Gjonaj

A City Council candidate raking in contributions from the real estate industry has been accused of using public housing as a campaign office.

Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj, who represents Bronx neighborhoods including Morris Park and Allerton, is running to represent the open District 13 seat on the New York City Council, and his opponent John Doyle claims he is using the residents’ council space in the Throgs Neck Houses for campaign activity, according to the New York Post.

Doyle posted a video to Facebook on Thursday showing a door at the Swinton Avenue building with a Gjonaj poster on it and accused him of using space meant to benefit the community to benefit his campaign instead. Doyle has filed complaints with the Campaign Finance Board and the New York City Housing Authority.

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Gjonaj spokesperson Jennifer Blatus told the Post that they asked the Throgs Neck tenant association to remove the signage as soon as they realized it was there and said the campaign “would never knowingly violate any NYCHA rules and regulations.”

Gjonaj and Doyle are two of seven candidates running for the District 13 seat, which covers Bronx neighborhoods in the northeast such as Pelham Bay and Throgs Neck. An analysis by The Real Deal in August found that, of all the candidates, Gjonaj had taken in the largest amount of campaign contributions from the real estate industry by far at $97,220.  [NYP]Eddie Small