Leonard Litwin, the real estate industry’s top political donor, is a prominent client of Goldberg & Iryami, the law firm that has paid Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver a substantial sum of money for years.
The law firm specializes in seeking real estate tax reductions for commercial and residential properties in the city. The firm’s payments to Silver are reportedly being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Litwin, 100, donated at least $4.3 million to political committees through 27 different limited liability companies controlled by Glenwood Management since 2013, according to Capital New York. Five of those LLCs, the website reported, are retaining Goldberg & Iryami for challenges to their real property tax assessments, according to data from the New York City Tax Commission cited by the website.
The Tax Commission — which is run by a president and six commissioners appointed by the mayor — is in charge of deciding on cases brought by firms like Goldberg & Iryami. [Capital NY] — Claire Moses