Brooklyn, NY – The Kestenbaum family and Joshua Guttman are just two of the land barons who have given more than $50,000 to Yassky, according to filings. “Subliminally or subconsciously, these folks probably get more access [to Yassky] when the phone rings,” said Neal Rosenstein, a government reform coordinator for the New York Public Interest Research Group.
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After Guttman’s Greenpoint Terminal Market went up in flames in a suspicious fire last week, Yassky returned a $500 contribution. Guttman has denied involvement in the fire, the city’s largest since 9/11.
A Williamsburg preservationists pointed to the Austin, Nichols & Co. warehouse at 184 Kent Ave., which the City Council voted not to give landmark status to in November. As representative of the district, Yassky was the force behind the nonlandmark vote.
The building is owned by brothers Louis and Moshe Kestenbaum – who in 1991 pleaded guilty to a scheme to sell cosmetics and groceries intended for the former Soviet Union. Instead, the Kestenbaums and three others were convicted of illegally selling them in the U.S. for a $4 million profit.
In the last two years, Yassky has gotten a total $2,100 from Louis Kestenbaum’s son, Joel, and $3,000 from two Kestenbaum business associates.
Yassky officials said he was unaware of the Kestenbaums’ crimes. “Experiences shows us that when a candidate is receiving hundreds if not thousands of contributions, it’s next to impossible to know what each contributor has done years and years ago that might raise a question,” said Yassky election lawyer Jerry Goldfeder. “We look at all the contribution checks, and we scrutinize them as best we can.”
In light of this morning’s Daily News article about contributions David Yassky has received from developers, Brooklyn District Leader Freddie Hamilton may now be reconsidering her endorsement of the Council Member for Congress.
Yassky spokesperson, Evan Thies, declined to comment saying, “I’m not going to comment on it until I get a call from Freddie. That’s pure speculation.” [ADD]
Yassky announced the endorsement in a May 7th press release.
(As a sidenote, that article can now be found in the boroughs section of the News website, although it was in the politics section this morning.)
—Nicole Brydson
UPDATE: This in from Freddie Hamilton:
“Council Member David Yassky has always been on the right side of issues that affect my community in Brooklyn–including good government and affordable housing. For those reasons, and many more, I am pleased to support his campaign for Congress. I hope to stand with him and celebrate victory on election day.
“New York is facing serious issues. The people who try to divide voters, and distract them from the real issues have no place in this election.”
http://thepoliticker.observer.com/2006/05/freddie-reconsidering.html
Thats The way how jewsih people had always survived in gules
we need to buy the Goyim with mony & this is how we could get true some mosrim who always look to bother jewish people who has mony
Let the goyim now get angry on Yassky Not us
Lets thank hashem that we could buy Yassky & not critsise Yassky
yassky “FOR SALE” to the highest bidder.
joe schmoe will pull the lever on election money, and that’s it.
the developers will apply the grease.
Then You wonder where the influence is coming from? MONEY, MONEY, MONEY,if you have the greens you can buy the politician, the Judge, and the Police Commisioner……
Spokesman Evan Thies denied that developer’s contributions influenced Yassky. “There is absolutely no link between donations and David’s governing,” said Thies. “There are plenty of developers in Greenpoint, Williamsburg, DUMBO and Brooklyn Heights who have given him money and are upset over his stance against their developments.”
Guttman and the Kestenbaums also have contributed to other politicians – including Sens. Hillary Clinton and Chuck Schumer, City Councilman Simcha Felder, former presidential candidate Al Gore and former vice presidential candidate Jospeh Lieberman.