Nothing like a boss who shares the wealth!
Brooklyn state Sen. Kevin Parker and his employees have loved luxurious meals, journey and jewellery with the assistance of hundreds of dollars in donations to the 10-term incumbent — who's battling for his political life within the Aug. 23 Democratic major.
Since final 12 months, Parker has caught his marketing campaign committee with $1,814.01 in payments from the Royal Sonesta New Orleans lodge, $825 in jewellery for “employees appreciation,” in addition to almost $2,000 extra for luxurious wellness services, marketing campaign finance information present.
“It’s so disappointing to see that at this second, when so many individuals are struggling to pay their payments and hold a roof over their heads,” David Alexis, a democratic socialist difficult Parker within the major, mentioned in a press release.
Parker – who can be dealing with former Manhattan Assistant District Lawyer Kaegan Mays-Williams – didn't reply to a number of requests for remark Monday.
Among the many most perplexing purchases in Parker’s marketing campaign filings are three expenditures dated Oct. 14, Nov. 8 and Nov. 15 — for $271.41, 196.87, and $1,345.73 respectively — from the Royal Sonesta New Orleans on Bourbon Road.
The marketing campaign mentioned the lodge was used for “Somos Convention Lodging” — though the annual Democratic junket is held 1,700 miles away in Puerto Rico.
Different huge spending by Parker or his employees embody $258.84 on the Soho outpost of Cipriani final August and $219.53 from Battello – a recent Italian institution touting views of the Manhattan skyline from the Jersey Metropolis waterfront – final September.
A December 2021 meal on the sommelier-staffed Capital Grille in Midtown value $338.61 alone, information present.
On all three events, the marketing campaign listed the swanky get-togethers as a “fundraising assembly.”
Parker additionally confirmed $1,966.49 price of “employees appreciation” by way of a dozen purchases of unknown wellness merchandise from candle specialist Essence of Ase, physique scrub maker ASLI Pure Pure Physique Care and the so-called Life Wellness Heart in Mattress-Stuy, which affords massages and acupuncture.
The lawmaker’s largesse for staffers additionally included $825 in purchases from Kilna Ibura Jewellery, whose web site boasts “considered one of a form sterling silver and gemstone jewellery.”
The spending has solely made a slight dent within the $131,940 marketing campaign warfare chest Parker reported 32 days forward of the first. Alexis and Mays-Williams reported simply $80,219 and $89,375 in their very own filings, respectively.
Whereas marketing campaign spending on luxurious gadgets could also be unseemly, specialists say it’s hardly unlawful given how lax state finance guidelines are in comparison with federal regulation.
“New York State marketing campaign finance regulation, and the private use of marketing campaign contributions, must be a lot stricter than it's,” Rachel Fauss of the nice authorities group Reinvent Albany instructed The Put up.
“That mentioned, it’s dangerous apply for candidates for workplace to spend contributions from people, who're anticipating them to make use of it to run for workplace, on issues that aren't associated to their marketing campaign,” she added.
Parker’s private 2021 monetary disclosure didn't present any revenue supply past his $110,000 per 12 months legislative wage, although he's the total proprietor of a four-bedroom home on Avenue H in his Brooklyn district and is part-owner of a second property in Queens.
The lavish spending might point out a softer facet to Parker, whose mood has landed him in scorching water at instances throughout his almost 20 years in elected workplace.
In 2019, Parker and progressive state Sen. Alessandra Biaggi acquired right into a shouting match over an ethics criticism associated to a social media put up the place Parker instructed a GOP operative to “kill your self”.
Parker was additionally convicted of misdemeanor prison mischief in 2010 after he broken a digital camera belonging to a New York Put up photographer exterior his mom’s home.
The questionable expenditures at the moment are giving Parker’s political opponents a brand new difficulty to leverage towards him forward of the first, following criticism that he has taken funds from donors who've additionally given to Republicans prior to now.
“Senator Parker is utilizing Republican donor cash to reside the excessive life and revel in an opulent trip in one other state,” mentioned Alexis, who's backed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. “We will do higher.”
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