Van Bramer keeps cash bundled by LIC developer despite no real estate pledge
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Jimmy Van Bramer, a candidate for Queens borough president, has vowed to reject real estate contributions but has held onto money bundled by a Long Island City developer. City Council photography
By David Brand
More than two years after vowing to reject real estate cash, Councilmember Jimmy Van Bramer is holding on to thousands of dollars bundled by a Long Island City developer, financial records show.
Van Bramer, a candidate for Queens borough president, received $30,000 in July 2018 from eight contributors assembled by developer Shibber Khan, an intermediary whose Criterion Group owns and operates large residential and commercial properties in Van Bramer’s Western Queens council district. Four months later, Van Bramer vowed to reject real estate cash as he sought the borough presidency. Van Bramer has not directly taken money from developers since that pledge.
He refunded a portion of the money bundled by Khan, but kept the portion that qualified for public matching funds. He held on to $10,500 from the Khan contributors in his 2021 account.
Seven of the contributors assembled by Khan each gave Van Bramer $3,950 — the previous maximum sum candidates could receive and still qualify for matching funds. Another gave him $2,350. After the Campaign Finance Board cut the matching fund threshold to $1,500, Van Bramer returned the portion of each contribution above that number but held onto the rest, according to financial disclosure reports.
The contributors include physician named Sonja Abbasi, who the Eagle cited as an example of bundled money in an email to Van Bramer’s campaign team. Campaign officials said Van Bramer did not even know Abbasi was connected with Khan.
Van Bramer questioned why her contribution, with Khan listed as intermediary, would contradict his pledge to reject money from developers.
“Since when is a doctor a commercial real estate developer?” Van Bramer said. “I’ve unequivocally rejected real estate money since 2018, because Queens voters shouldn't have to wonder if their Borough President is committed to working families or luxury developers.”
He also turned the tables on his rival, incumbent Borough President Donovan Richards, who he accused of planting negative stories about him.
“Richards is desperate to distract from the fact that he’s fully in the pocket of big real estate, with at least 25 percent of all his money in the previous filing coming from the industry, as well as an independent expenditure during last year’s primary that poured at least $100,000 into his victory,” Van Bramer said,
“Richards — awash in real estate money and their dirty tricks — is committed to running a dishonest campaign, as he showed last month with attempts to smear my husband and his award-winning film about conserving Jamaica Bay,” he continued.
A February New York Post article ticked off the various special interests, lobbyists and real estate groups that bankrolled Van Bramer’s husband’s 2017 documentary “Saving Jamaica Bay.”
The no real estate pledge dates back to November 2018, when Van Bramer first told the Daily News he would reject or return money from developers and big landlords.
“I don't want there to be any doubt in people's minds about where my loyalties lie, and so we won't accept anything going forward — but we're also going to return anything we've raised in this cycle,” Van Bramer said at the time.
He did not refund that money until the News followed up in August 2019. He said the failure was an oversight and returned the cash after the report.
He has raised a total of $237,028.58 for his 2021 bid, according to a financial disclosure report published March 15. His campaign said that, with expected matching funds, Van Bramer will have $316,493.05 on hand.
Borough presidents make advisory recommendations on land use plans, including proposals backed by wealthy developers who funnel cash to candidates for city office.
Van Bramer was one of a number of local lawmakers and candidates who pledged to reject or refund developer cash following Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s primary win in June 2018.
But he and others continue to collect cash from industries directly associated with development, including real estate, construction and architecture.
Betsy Gotbaum, the head of good government group Citizens Union, said the many “loopholes” can hollow out the pledges made by candidates.
“I think it’s pandering to the left,” said Gotbaum, a former public advocate. “It’s gaming the system and it takes away from the real intent of what we’ve been in favor of: open and clear and transparent campaign finance.”
Van Bramer isn’t the only candidate for borough president who has sworn off developer money.
Former Councilmember Elizabeth Crowley, told the Eagle last year that she would reject money from developers ahead of a special election to replace Melinda Katz, who left office after taking office as Queens district attorney.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo later cancelled the special election as a result of COVID-19 and ordered a traditional primary-general election format to fill the seat.
Crowley finished second in the primary to Richards, who went on to win the general election to finish off Katz’s term.
Richards is once again running to win a full term in office.
He has welcomed real estate contributions and has in the past encouraged developers spurned by his rivals to “cut a check” to his campaign.
Many did last year, funneling cash into his coffers or spending tens of thousands of dollars on mailers and phone calls to boost Richards and bash a rival, Councilmember Costa Constantinides.
