Brooklyn, NY – Rep. Anthony Weiner is directing $238,000 of this year’s federal budget to a Brooklyn nonprofit whose backers have showered him with campaign contributions, records show.
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At least four board officers of the Sephardic Addiction and Family Education (SAFE) Foundation have, together with their families and close associates, directed more than $160,000 to Weiner’s campaigns, including more than $100,000 for this year’s mayoral race.
“It smacks of pay to play,” said Steve Ellis of Taxpayers for Common Sense, an advocacy group that has railed against so-called “earmarks” in the federal budget that let lawmakers steer federal dollars to pet projects back home.
“You can’t prove and there may not even be a quid pro quo, but it does raise the specter of that in the minds of taxpayers,” Ellis said.
“People might make contributions to curry favor … to get federal dollars for themselves or their organization.”
Weiner, a Democrat who represents Brooklyn and Queens, has been critical of earmarks.
Last year, he argued barring them would “restore public confidence” in government, but said at the time that as long as they’re permitted, he doesn’t want to deprive his district of available cash.
Weiner declined to answer questions about why he chose this group for the funding, or about the campaign contributions.
His spokesman John Collins said in a statement: “It is an outrageous smear to say these leaders of the Jewish community are engaged in anything improper.”
In the massive spending bills the House approved last week, Weiner sponsored or co-sponsored $19 million worth of earmarks to 22 groups or projects.
The $238,000 for the SAFE Foundation’s “addictive behavior family preservation program” was one of four for which he was the sole sponsor.
This is at least the second year that Weiner has steered cash to nonprofits in Brooklyn’s Sephardic Jewish community, whose board members have been longtime supporters.
Last year, the Sephardic Angel Fund, which gives no-interest loans to underprivileged business owners, picked up $282,000. The Sephardic Community Center snagged nearly $100,000 for a program to help “at-risk immigrant youth.”
The three Sephardic groups are not affiliated. Some of their board members come from the same families and all three have officers who have made contributions to Weiner.
“Anthony is a friend of the Sephardic community of Brooklyn,” said Morris Missry, a SAFE Foundation board officer who raised $67,700 from 27 donors for Weiner last summer.
He and his wife have given $9,950 to Weiner’s mayoral and congressional campaigns.
Missry said he was surprised about the Weiner earmark when called by the Daily News.
“That’s wonderful,” he said of the $238,000 for SAFE. “We need the money.”
Other SAFE Foundation officers who gave money to Weiner did not return calls or could not be reached for comment.
The Sephardic Angel Fund has been the focus of scrutiny because tax documents revealed that a wealthy board member, Eddie Shamah, received an improper interest-free loan. The group also gave no-interest loans to board members’ relatives.
Shamah, who has given $3,000 to Weiner since 1999, said the tax document was an error and the Angel Fund has since filed an amendment.
A lawyer for the fund confirmed Shamah’s claim that he never received a loan, but said the amendment had not yet been filed.
This isn’t stimulus; it’s theft. You wonder why these hack liberals love to spend other people’s money.
I have nothing against Sephardim. I would feel the same if this was to an Ashkenazic group or any other non-profit.
Wake up. We were lied to about the stimulus bill.
the individuals involved in those org. have given far more of their own money to support them besides the enormous amount of time they spend help run and fundraise their biz expertise is invaluable
winer….get more of their money – you know how.
Every donation to a polictician is pay-for-play. The only way to stop it is to stop all campaign contributions.
They donated 200,000 to receive 230,000? They could’ve just donated straight to the charity and get a tax write-off and have a better return on their money.
This must be a slow news day, that the Daily News chose to write such a bias article. There are billions of earmarks, and they are crying about 200K. Where did the other 19 million of his earmarks go?
And he wants to be our Mayor?
What do you expect of a Liberal. They believe in the theory that they do not have abide by the laws. Laws are only made for those who are not card carrying members of the liberal clique.
Before I start reading a firestorm of protest about Sephardim snagging money from other choshuve organizations, let me clarify that SAFE helps at least as many Ashkenazi families as it does Sephardic. They are literally saving lives and as a result, marriages and families, day after day. Good for them.
I thought there was no pork? Let’s take this to the top … to the obama.
Obama paid ACORN back in this porkulus-stimulus with Billions of dollars so that they can continue to pervert the system and continue electing lowlifes.
now we see what this shyster was all about and all his past dealings should be thoroughly examined for scamming and fraud. we shouldn’t be surprised if they supplied weiner with hookers for all that government support of their organizations. whatever it cost it was worth it to get this sex maniac pervert out of office. this is not a jew this is a monster and obviously a complete crook.