Mayor Adams’ authorized protection belief returned seven of eight contributions from Madison Sq. Backyard kingpin James Dolan’s household enterprise inside days of receiving them, new information reveal — a transfer that put elevated pressure on the already cash-strapped fund.
The information don’t spell out why the belief didn’t give again all of the Dolan donations, which raised ethics issues earlier this yr because of the billionaire MSG proprietor’s intensive enterprise pursuits earlier than Adams’ administration.
The remaining three donations, all additionally within the authorized max quantity of $5,000, got here from James Dolan himself on July 26, his different grownup son, Ryan Dolan, on June 26, and Irving Azoff, a longtime Dolan enterprise companion, on July 15. These three had been additionally returned by the belief inside days, with the final refund, of James Dolan’s contribution, processed on Aug. 14, the information present.
The information present Adams’ belief hasn’t returned a $5,000 donation given on July 15 by certainly one of Dolan’s different grownup sons, Aidan, who, like his brothers, is an govt in his father’s MSG Leisure firm.
Madison Sq. Backyard CEO James Dolan watches an NBA basketball sport between the New York Knicks and the Sacramento Kings. (AP Photograph/Kathy Willens)
Adams’ reelection marketing campaign, which can be going through money-related issues, hasn’t returned any of the $16,800 it acquired from Dolan, his sons, father and enterprise associates across the similar time this summer time, information present.
Vito Pitta, Adams’ belief and 2025 marketing campaign compliance lawyer, didn’t return a request for remark this week and neither did reps for Dolan.
With many of the Dolan household and enterprise money relinquished, Adams’ belief pulled in simply $62,500 between July 1 and Sept. 30, the bottom fundraising stretch because the mayor launched the fund in late 2023.
Even with the Dolan cash in play, the belief was within the crimson as of Sept. 30, having spent greater than it had raised, most of it to cowl the a whole bunch of 1000’s of {dollars} in authorized charges the mayor is racking up every month.
Mayor Adams within the Blue Room of Metropolis Corridor on Dec. 16. (Barry Williams/ New York Each day Information)
On Sept. 26, Manhattan federal prosecutors indicted Adams on felony expenses alleging he took bribes and unlawful marketing campaign money from Turkish authorities officers and others in change for political favors. Adams, who has pleaded not responsible, is about to face trial in April, and that can all however definitely imply even heftier authorized payments, particularly as he just lately employed a brand new lawyer, Alex Spiro, who’s recognized to cost shoppers $2,000 per hour.
When the Adams belief’s newest public disclosure first got here out in mid-October, the wave of Dolan donations sparked outrage from native lawmakers and authorities watchdogs who famous the MSG proprietor’s company empire holds varied enterprise pursuits the mayor has sway over, together with a allow The Backyard relies on to function.
The up to date information reflecting the Dolan contribution refunds weren’t disclosed by the town Conflicts of Curiosity Board till late October or November and haven’t been beforehand reported.
Beneath native regulation, people listed within the metropolis authorities’s Doing Enterprise database are prohibited from donating to mayoral authorized protection trusts, as are the kids and spouses of anybody listed within the database.
James Dolan isn’t personally listed within the database, however a number of of his corporations are, together with MSG Leisure Holdings, on account of their enterprise dealings with metropolis authorities.
Adams’ belief should disclose an replace on its funds in mid-January. In October, Pitta mentioned the belief anticipated to start out elevating more cash after Adams’ indictment as his “defense enters a new stage.”
