He hasn’t even formally entered the governor’s race however Republican millionaire Harry Wilson’s previous donation to embattled Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has come again to hang-out him.
Wilson confirmed to The Publish on Sunday that he gave $1,000 to Bragg on June 21, 2020 — a few 12 months earlier than the Democratic major election for Manhattan’s prime prosecutor — saying they had been friends from their time collectively at Harvard College.
“I assumed he can be a powerful prosecutor as Manhattan DA based mostly on his years as a prosecutor,” Wilson stated, referring to Bragg’s profession working as a Manhattan federal prosecutor and because the chief deputy Lawyer Common for the state.
State Board of Elections information present that contributors with the identify “Harry Wilson” supplied three donations of $1,000 every to Democrat Bragg’s marketing campaign. One donation got here from the potential GOP gubernatorial candidate’s Scarsdale handle, whereas two others had been listed at totally different Manhattan addresses.
Wilson, chairman and CEO of funding administration agency MAEVA Group, stated the 2 Manhattan donations had been from another person with the identical identify.
Bragg’s controversial “Day One” memo issued on Jan. 3 directed his assistant district attorneys to now not search jail sentences for a lot of criminals and to downgrade some felonies to misdemeanors. His management has already created a firestorm that has led to a web-based petition calling for his removing and prompted workers resignations.
Different candidates within the Republican major for governor pounced on Wilson’s donation.
“It doesn’t matter if he gave a penny or 1,000,000 {dollars}. The donation actually raises questions on whether or not the Republican Get together desires an individual on the prime of the ticket for governor who supported a candidate for district lawyer who was pro-criminal in the course of a criminal offense wave,” stated former Westchester County Govt Rob Astorino.
“Anybody who donated to Bragg needed to know he was working on a soft-on-crime platform.”
Lengthy Island Rep. Lee Zeldin, the GOP management’s presumptive nominee for governor, stated, “I’ll by no means flip my again on our regulation enforcement officers and the New Yorkers they’re sworn to guard.
“My help within the Manhattan District Lawyer’s race was absolutely behind [Republican] Tom Kenniff and it’s unlucky that Bragg is now in workplace refusing to prosecute many crimes in any respect throughout the board and downgrading many others.
“As Governor, I might take away the Manhattan District Lawyer for his refusal to implement the regulation. I absolutely help repealing cashless bail, enacting a regulation enforcement invoice of rights, holding criminals in jail the place they belong, and far more.”
Andrew Giuliani, the third GOP candidate for governor, urged New Yorkers to help his Change.org petition to attempt to oust Bragg. Greater than 9,000 folks have signed the petition.
Wilson yanked his help for Bragg after studying concerning the new DA’s progressive insurance policies.
“I used to be extremely disillusioned by his memo. I’m 100 hundred p.c against any district lawyer who won’t prosecute crimes,” Wilson stated.
“Gov. Hochul should take motion to both cease his insurance policies or take away Bragg.”
Hochul, in the meantime, has come under criticism for attempting to duck the controversy over Bragg.
Phrase of Wilson’s contribution to Bragg circulated after The Publish reported final week that the businessman was strongly contemplating getting into the race for governor.
Wilson, sources stated, has been interviewing marketing campaign consultants and political operatives to assist run his marketing campaign. Amongst these contacted was Battleground Methods, which helped run profitable campaigns to elect Republicans Larry Hogan governor of Maryland and Jim Douglas to the statehouse in Vermont.
Wilson is called an knowledgeable in company restructurings and turnarounds and served on former Democratic President Barack Obama’s Auto Restructuring Job Pressure after the recession of 2008. The duty power was accountable for reviving Common Motors and Chrysler.
The son of Greek immigrants, Wilson narrowly misplaced the 2010 race for state comptroller to Democrat Tom DiNapoli.
