A major donor to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is claiming that he bought the far-left politician off with a six-figure check.
The donor, Jona Rechnitz, claimed in extraordinary detail Thursday that de Blasio’s fundraiser, Ross Offinger, reached out for him for cash, to help flip the New York State Senate back to the Democrats in 2014.
Rechnitz initially demurred – because he believed de Blasio was not sufficiently coming through on special favors, as Rechnitz had already used pay-to-play tactics in the Mayor’s Office.
After Rechnitz refused, de Blasio himself made a phone call – and Rechnitz responded by delivering a check for $102,300 to the New York Democratic Senate Campaign Committee.
Rechnitz then described that, after his gift, his favors suddenly came through – namely, helping make Housing Department violations on one of Rechnitz’s New York City properties go away.
De Blasio’s office, however, categorically denied that Rechnitz had any sway over the mayor.
“If Jona Rechnitz says he bought the mayor, he is a liar,” said mayoral spokesman, Eric Phillips, in a statement. “If he says he had unfettered access, he is a liar.
“The only thing Jona Rechnitz can say honestly is that he is a failed fixer of grand delusion just trying to save his own skin.
“These are nothing but reheated, repackaged accusations that have been extensively reviewed and passed on by authorities at multiple levels. The administration has never and will never make government decisions based on campaign contributions.”
Rechnitz was a cooperating witness in earlier probes of de Blasio’s campaign fundraising. While the New York City Campaign Finance Board never cleared the mayor, authorities never pursued an indictment.
Video h/t New York Post
AAN Staff
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