Cuomo gets big campaign bucks from real estaters

Some of Cuomo’s big contributors in the real estate industry, from left: Jerry Speyer, Jeff Blau, Aby Rosen, Andrew Farkas, Richard LeFrak, Kent Swig, and Shaya Boymelgreen

Attorney General Andrew Cuomo is emerging as the real estate industry’s darling, as he prepares his bid for the gubernatorial race, which could include potential candidates Rick Lazio and current Governor David Paterson, with developers and other real estate bigwigs throwing cash behind the potential candidate. The industry has been so fiscally generous to Cuomo that it’s ranked as the Attorney General’s top giver, according to the New York Times. Top campaign givers include Jerry Speyer, chairman and CEO of Tishman Speyer, who along with two other executives at the company has given $151,000, Jeff Blau, President of Related Companies, who has given $75,000, Aby Rosen, who’s donated $55,900, Andrew Farkas of Island Capital Group, who’s contributed $50,000, and Richard LeFrak, who’s given $25,000. Cuomo has raked in around $18 million in funds donated from real estate executives. Other givers include Shaya Boymelgreen has given $8,000 and Kent Swig has forked over $15,000 in the past two years.