Openly gay hotelier Ian Reisner has admitted to donating money to Republican presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz.
Reisner later asked for his money back, DNAinfo reported. Cruz is against gay marriage.
Together with his business partner Mati Weiderpass, Reisner reportedly held an event with Cruz in April. At the time, Reisner claimed it wasn’t a fundraiser, according to the website.
“In the interest of full transparency, I gave Senator Cruz a $2,700 check to show my support for his work on behalf of Israel,” Reisner, a registered Republican, said in a statement cited by DNAinfo. “When I realized my donation could be misconstrued as supporting his anti-gay marriage agenda, I asked for the money back. Senator Cruz’s office gave the money back, and I have no intention of giving any money to any politicians who do not fully support L.G.B.T. rights.”
Reisner, who appeared on “Million Dollar Listing New York,” last year is the co-owner of the city’s first gay hotel on 42nd Street, OUT NYC. Last summer, Reisner and Weiderpass sold their penthouse at 230 Central Park South for $11.9 million. [DNAinfo] — Claire Moses