The campaign of businessman and congressional candidate Bob Turner (R-NY-9) today called on career politician David Weprin (D-WFP) to explain why he accepted thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from board members and employees of organizations receiving tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars — at Weprin’s direction as a member of the New York City Council.

The suspicious practice was reported in the New York Sun in 2008, but Mr. Weprin never coherently explained himself, the Turner campaign charged.

“Let me be perfectly clear about what we are alleging:  It looks to us like David Weprin was trading public dollars for campaign dollars while in the City Council,” said Turner spokesman William O’Reilly. “Mr. Weprin would arrange a government grant to an organization and receive in return political contributions from those associated with that organization. What’s worse, those dollars would then be matched 6-1 with public matching funds.  Mr. Weprin seems to have been treating taxpayer money as a political ATM card. He needs to explain himself.”

Donations cited in the New York Sun story include:

Stephen Weinroth, Board Chairman of Joyce Theater Foundation
Gave $1,500in 2009
Weprin got with matching funds: $2,550  Co-sponsored $40,000 taxpayer grant 
Erica Forman, Chairwoman of Bella Abzug Leadership Institute
Gave $500
Weprin got with matching funds: $1,550
$35,000 taxpayer grant

Douglas Durst, Friends of Hudson River Park developer
Weprin got $2,100 in 2009; $1,500 previously
Co-sponsored $88,000 taxpayer grant

Marianna Koval, President of the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy
$550 in 2006
Weprin got with matching funds:  $1,600
Co-sponsored $126,000 taxpayer grant.

Ann Jawin, Founder and Chairwoman of the Center for the Women of New York
Gave $1,800 in 2009
Weprin got with matching funds: $2,850
$16,857 taxpayer grant

Ezekiel Pikus, Director of the Council of Jewish Organizations of Flatbush, Brooklyn
Gave $1,750 in 2009
Weprin got with matching funds: $2,800
Cosponsored $245,000 grant

Ariel Zqan, Exec Dir of New York Cares
Gave $1,250
Weprin got with matching funds: $2,300
$55,000 taxpayer grant

David Mandel, CEO of OHEL Children’s Home and Family Services in Brooklyn
Weprin got: $550
Co-sponsored $175,000 taxpayer grant

Andrew Tagliabue, Exec Dir of NYC chapter of Parents, Families & friends of Lesbians and Gays
Weprin got with matching funds: with matching $1,650
Co-sponsored $15,000 taxpayer grant

“The issue is not the right of these individuals to contribute or whether these organizations are worthwhile, it is Mr. Weprin’s judgment in accepting money from groups he is funding,” Mr. O’Reilly continued. “Shouldn’t some ethical bell have gone off in Mr. Weprin’s head?”

Mr. Turner and Mr. Weprin are in a close race to fill the congressional seat recently vacated by disgraced Congressman Anthony Weiner (NY-9).

Mr. Turner is a former television executive who has lived his entire life in the neighborhoods of the 9th Congressional District.  Career politician David Weprin, who does not live in the congressional district, has held or sought four separate political offices in the past two years – City Council, City Comptroller, State Assembly, and now Congress.

Mr. Turner has been endorsed for Congress by both Republicans and Democrats, including former New York City Mayor Ed Koch (D) and former Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R). Mr. Turner’s business career has taken him around the globe. He has conducted business and formed programming partnerships in places ranging from Tbilisi to Delhi, Manila to Moscow.

The special election will be held on Tuesday, September 13.

(YWN Desk – NYC / Press Release)