BEEP ON A MAD DASH FOR CASH
ADAM'S CHARITY RACING NEW LAW
This is a last-gaspl effort by Eric Adams to rake in the dough before the new law goes into to effect. . — Dick Dadey, director of Citizens Union
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams is racing the clock to rake in donations for a nonprofit he created to advance pet projects — all before a city law dramatically limiting such contributions takes effect in January.
Roughly a year after federal and state prosecutors helped shame Mayor de Blasio into shuttering his Campaign for One New York, which aggressively raised funds from people doing business with the city, Adams’ One Brooklyn Fund — which has also been the subject of investigations — is set to host its first major fund-raiser.
Those invited to the Sept. 27 “inaugural gala” at the Brooklyn Museum include companies that have received work or have other types of business relationships with the city, according to people on the guest list.
Moreover, sponsors helping pay for the event include the Barclays Center and its developer, Forest City Ratner, and major Dumbo developer Two Trees Management — which all have enjoyed cozy business relationships with Borough and City halls.
“Unlike the mayor, who has ceased operations of [Campaign for One New York], this is a last-gasp effort by Eric Adams to rake in the dough before the new law goes into effect,” said Dick Dadey, director of the good-government group Citizens Union.
The City Council last December pressured de Blasio to sign into law a bill barring anyone who has a city contract or does other city business from donating more than $400 a year to nonprofits tied to elected officials or their staff.
The bill was aimed at curbing de Blasio’s nonprofit, which relied heavily on big donations to raise $4.3 million to push his agenda.
But the law does not kick in until 2018.
Adams, who is eying a mayoral run in four years, is asking guests to fork over $150 per plate for advance tickets — and VIPs $500 — for a fund-raising dinner honoring businesses that have been operating in Brooklyn at least 50 years.
The Post last year reported that One Brooklyn was the subject of two city Department of Investigation probes, and, like de Blasio’s nonprofit, was scrutinized by feds to see if it was used to dish out pay-to-play favors.
In March, federal and state authorities dropped their probes into de Blasio’s fundraising but criticized his admin- istration for violating the “intent and spirit” of election law.
Since being formed three years ago, One Brooklyn has reported collecting up to $1.34 million in donations and has pocketed another $349,700 in City Council funding. The money is used to help sponsor summer concerts, senior events and other public programs that promote Adams.
One Brooklyn’s donors include Broadway Stages, a Brooklyn film and TV production firm that gave at least $100,000 and was questioned in the probes of de Blasio’s fund-raising; and Park Developers & Builders, which gave at least $5,000 and was subpoenaed by the state attorney general in 2015 for its bid to replace a Brooklyn nursing home with a housing complex.
Adams’ spokesman, Stefan Ringel, said the gala was approved by the city Conflicts of Interest Board.
In both of its probes of One Brooklyn, the DOI found that the nonprofit broke city rules, but it was not hit with penalties.