Backed by Real Estate Interests, a PAC Touting Women Leaders Targets Pro-Tenant Candidates

A real-estate funded independent expenditure committee called New York Women Lead is spending heavily on behalf of incumbent Assemblymember Stefani Zinerman (D-Brooklyn), in an attempt to fend off a challenge from pro-tenant Democratic Socialist candidate Eon Huntley.

The matchup, one of the most closely contested state races this primary cycle, puts housing issues front and center. State and congressional primaries are on June 25 , with early voting beginning on June 15.

New York Women Lead initially received financial support from women’s groups like the Eleanor Roosevelt Legacy Committee and former Council Speaker Christine Quinn’s election committee dating back to 2018.

But this year, the committee has taken in $140,000 almost exclusively from prominent New York real estate developers including from the Brodsky Organization, Rudin Management Company, members of the family behind the Durst Organization and members of the Elganayan family behind the property group Rockrose, among others, campaign finance records show.

Elizabeth Carpenter and Robin Brown, who are listed as treasurer and managing director respectively on the independent expenditure filings and are associated with Bolton-St. Johns and ERG Advisors , two political consulting groups, declined to comment. (Independent expenditures are the equivalent of local super PACs that are able to spend money on behalf of a candidate, but cannot coordinate with their campaign.)

But a source familiar with the group said it supported pro-choice Democratic women, hence its support of Zinerman. Huntley, a male candidate, is also pro-choice and has a 100 rating from Planned Parenthood, as does Zinerman.

New York Women Lead has only reported spending in two other races this primary cycle, both in the Hudson Valley, both of which pit two Democratic women against each other. In both cases the group is spending to block two pro-choice Working Families Party candidates who also support statewide good cause eviction protections .

In Assembly District 103, the group has spent $34,000 to support Gabi Madden, who is challenging incumbent Democratic Assemblymember Sarahana Shrestha, even though Madden has a lower Planned Parenthood rating than Shrestha.

In Assembly District 106, New York Women Lead has spent $22,000 on behalf of Democratic Assemblymember Didi Barrett, who is facing a challenge from Working Families-endorsed candidate Claire Cousin.

Leo Glickman, an election attorney working for the Huntely, Shrestha and Cousin campaigns, called New York Women Lead’s efforts disingenuous.

“If a real estate oriented independent expenditure PAC is spending in political campaigns, all we ask is that they be truthful about their purpose,” Glickman said. “They’re misleading the voters, if they’re spending against pro-choice candidates while claiming to be supporting pro-choice candidates.”

In Assembly District 56, which covers most of Bedford-Stuyvesant and a slice of Crown Heights, New York Women Lead has reported spending $22,000 to support Zinerman’s campaign, according to state campaign finance filings released this week.

The group has paid for paraphernalia passed out by canvassers across the district starting in late April. Last week, text messages from the organization pinged voters’ phones and canvassers passed out more flyers from the group.

None of the real estate companies funding the New York Women Lead returned requests for comment.

Democratic Socialist Eon Huntley has made housing and tenants rights a central component of his campaign, tweeting pithy campaign videos about housing horror stories while voicing his support for broadening good cause eviction protections. Huntley also supports Assemblymember Emily Gallagher’s bill to create a new social housing authority tasked with building affordable units. Renters make up 80% of residents in Bedford-Stuyvesant.

Huntely said he wasn’t surprised that real estate interests are flocking to his opponent.

“They’re doing everything they can to maintain the status quo,” Huntley told THE CITY. “People are really getting a choice to actually vote for someone who understands what they’re facing and does not take…any of this money.”

Lupe Todd-Medina, a spokesperson for Zinerman’s campaign, said Zinerman is also a renter and has supported both renters and property owners during her time in office.

“If their reasoning for protecting somebody like Stefanie is because they feel as though they can at least have a conversation with her, they can at least have dialogue and come to a middle ground, then maybe that’s it,” Todd-Medina said. “They’re not gonna get that with the other candidate.”

Pro-Israel and Charter School Money

The real estate spending is the latest wrinkle in what is shaping up to be one of the most interesting state races in New York City this election year. The contest is also a test case for whether the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) can maintain — and even expand — its presence in Albany in the face of corporate spending aiming to block their efforts.

Both Zinerman and Huntley have amassed nearly the same amount in donations, about $116,000, public records show. But about 40% of Zinerman’s campaign coffers are donations funneled from the pro-Israel Solidarity PAC, according to an analysis from New York Focus . The nonprofit newsroom reported that the PAC has spent heavily to defeat DSA and Working Families Party candidates across the state, including an effort to oust DSA incumbent Gallagher in Greenpoint .

In addition, two pro-charter school independent expenditure committees, Moving New York Families Forward and New Yorkers for a Balanced Albany , have spent a combined $57,000 to support Zinerman. Moving New York Families Forward has also spent money to oust Gallagher, who is being challenged by Anathea Simpkins .

Neither Gallagher nor Huntley have received any support from independent expenditure committees.

As flyers paid for by New York Women Lead circulated across Bedford-Stuyvesant, Huntley’s campaign raised concerns about possible campaign finance violations. A member of the campaign filed a formal complaint with the New York State Board of Elections on May 17, alleging that the committee and Zinerman’s campaign were coordinating, which is barred under state election law.

A copy of the complaint reviewed by THE CITY alleges that canvassers who identified themselves as working with Zinerman’s campaign were passing out the flyers paid for by New York Women Lead. In other correspondence with the Board of Elections, the Huntley campaign flagged a text message that went out to voters saying the message came from someone “with the campaign” but also said it was paid for by New York Women Lead.

Zinerman’s campaign denies any coordination with the independent expenditure committee. While New York Women Lead declined to comment, a source familiar with the committee also insisted the group was not coordinating with Zinerman’s campaign.

Additionally the Walentas Foundation, a family foundation associated with the major Brooklyn developer Two Trees, gave $25,000 to New York Women Lead, raising a red flag as nonprofits are typically barred from donating to political campaigns. Reached by THE CITY, David Lombino, Two Trees’ managing director, said the donation from the Walentas Foundation was a clerical error and was being refunded.

“It will be reissued from an appropriate entity,” he said, adding that Two Trees is an active Democratic party donor.

Not in the District

A third-generation Brooklyinte who grew up in East New York in public housing and a Section 8 building, Huntley, 39, is a political novice. He has lived in Bed-Stuy since 2009.

A fashionista who works in sales at Bergdorf Goodman, he began his community advocacy serving as president of his daughters’ P.T.A. at P.S. 54.

Zinerman’s campaign has dinged Huntley for living outside the district , though he lives three blocks away and intends to move, as required, if elected.

“He doesn’t have his hands in the sand with the rest of us. His hands aren’t in the mud because he doesn’t live in this district,” said Zinerman campaign spokesperson Todd-Medina. “He lives in a shiny glassy condo in the 57th [Assembly District.]”

The building where Huntley lives is temporarily rent-stabilized through the 421-a tax abatement program , which he opposes.

But Huntley brushed off the criticism. “How absurd it is that people would also hide behind character attacks as opposed to addressing the real issues,” he said.

“Voters care about who’s going to fight for them to stay in their homes, who understands the rents are rising, who understands that they lack affordable housing,” Huntley said. “They don’t care about [me living] 300 feet away because they see me out here and they understand what is at stake.”

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