The governor received large sums from three hedge fund managers, two other individuals involved in finance, a lobby firm and a technology company’s CEO. | Kevin P. Coughlin/Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo The 18 donors who've given Cuomo more than $100K

ALBANY — In the 32 months since Gov. Andrew Cuomo won a second term in office, 18 donors have given his campaign committee over $100,000.

That’s double the number at this point in his first term.


As was the case during his first four years in office, Cuomo has been dependent on real estate for his campaign money. Most donors are limited to $65,100 but a company that controls multiple limited liability companies can give this amount for each of them, a system the governor has derided as “a pure loophole in the campaign finance law.”

It particularly benefits real estate developers, as they often have one LLC for each property. As a result, each of Cuomo’s seven largest donors and of 11 of his top 18 are involved in real estate.

Additionally, the governor received large sums from three hedge fund managers, two other individuals involved in finance, a lobby firm and a technology company’s CEO.

Here’s a list of his largest donors:

1. Scott Rechler ($300,000)

After giving the governor more than $128,000 in his first four years in office, RXR Realty’s Rechler and members of his family gave Cuomo $160,000 in the first two years of his second term. The developer then contributed another $10,000 at the beginning of this year. And on May 19, a limited liability company he heads and another based out of the same address wrote $65,000 checks.

A month later, Cuomo appointed Rechler to the MTA’s board.

2 (tied). Fisher Brothers ($250,000)

Donations from executives at the development firm prompted scrutiny in Cuomo’s first term, as they came a few weeks before the governor signed a bill to give them a tax break. That resulted in a subpoena from the Moreland Commission to Investigate Public Corruption, but then Cuomo disbanded the commission.

This year, four of the firm's LLCs have given the governor between $60,000 and $65,000 apiece.

2 (tied). Mayer Hirsch ($250,000)

Hirsch, a developer in the Hasidic village of Kiryas Joel, gave Cuomo nine checks totaling a quarter million dollars a week after the governor vetoed a bill that would restrict development in Kiryas Joel.

2 (tied). Brookfield Asset Management ($250,000)

Seven different LLCs held by Brookfield have given Cuomo checks this term.

The most recent donations came on Jan. 9, when three of them gave him a combined $100,000. Three days later, Cuomo announced that Brookfield was one of eight companies that won a share of a $350 million renewable energy fund.

5. Howard and Abby Milstein ($220,000)

Both Howard (a developer and Cuomo’s first-term head of Thruway Authority) and his wife Abby (a commercial litigation attorney at Constantine Cannon) have given Cuomo five-figure sums in recent years. A pair of LLCs controlled by Howard Milstein also gave the governor $60,000 apiece in 2015.

6. The Durst Organization ($180,200)

All of the development firm’s money to Cuomo this term was given in either late 2015 or in 2016. At this time, the company was pushing the governor to renew the 421-a tax credit program. It lapsed at the beginning of 2016, and the firm cited its absence when suspending the construction of four towers later that year.

7. SLGreen ($163,997)

The development company and LLCs it controls have given Cuomo only $75,000 in standard donations this cycle. The bulk of its money has come from a long-standing agreement in which it gives Cuomo's campaign efforts office space in Manhattan, which appears on the governor’s forms as in-kind contributions.

8. Barry Rosenstein ($151,956)

Hedge funder Rosenstein has given the governor $65,000 this term, and his wife and daughters have combined to contribute $82,500. He hosted a fundraiser for Cuomo in East Hampton earlier this month.

Cuomo received a $4,706 in-kind contribution for “catering and travel” from “Three Roses III Corp” on the day of the fundraiser. Rosenstein is the CEO of the business, according to the state’s corporate registry, and according to FAA records, it’s the partial owner of a helicopter that has been described by locals as particularly noisy.

9. Ronald Perelman ($138,203)

In addition to being a top donor to the governor, Perelman’s holding company MacAndrews & Forbes has been a top destination for former members of Cuomo’s administration, hiring his communications director and secretary in recent years.

10 (tied). SunCal ($130,000)

This California firm is involved in the construction of a 1,177 unit residential project near the base of the newly named Governor Mario Cuomo Tappan Zee Bridge.

10 (tied). Steven and Alexandra Cohen ($130,000)

Hedge funder Steven, the world’s 92nd richest person according to Forbes, shared a bête noire with Cuomo. Cohen is blocked from commodities trading until 2018 due to an investigation by Preet Bharara, the former US Attorney who did not make life easy for the governor during his years as a federal prosecutor.

10 (tied). Alexander Rovt ($130,000)

Rovt, who made his fortune manufacturing fertilizer in former Soviet countries, is currently a major investor in New York real estate.

13. Dan Tishman ($124,826)

Construction company executive Tishman serves on a commission tasked with developing plans to modernize New York City’s airports, a post to which Cuomo appointed him.

14. Joel and Julia Greenblatt ($120,000)

Joel Greenblatt, a hedge fund manager and investor, is a major supporter of charter schools.

15. Brown & Weinraub ($113,250)

The state’s second-highest grossing lobby firm, Brown & Weinraub’s 151 clients include Airbnb, the Lago Resort & Casino, and Dominion Resources.

16. James Simons ($110,000)

Hedge funder Simons’ donations to Cuomo are actually dialed back significantly from the governor’s first term. While he and his wife Marilyn gave a similar amount – $105,000 – to the governor’s campaign committee from 2011 – 2014, they also gave over $1.5 million to the state party at a time it was working solely to advance Cuomo’s agenda.

17 (tied). Kearney Realty & Development Group ($105,000)

The Carmel company project has given the governor donations through three LLCs since Cuomo announced in 2014 that it had been awarded $3.9 million to build a senior housing project.

17 (tied). Dan Pickett ($105,000)

Pickett is the CEO of Clifton Park technology company nfrastructure, which has received $43.8 million in state contracts since Cuomo took office.