Zemsky’s donations to Democrats
Howard Zemsky, with his wife Leslie, may be best known for developing Buffalo’s Larkinville business and entertainment district. However, the businessman is also a political power player. In 2011, Gov. Andrew Cuomo tapped Zemsky as co-chair of the Western New York Regional Economic Development Council, then in 2015, appointed him president and CEO of the Empire State Development Corp. In that job, Zemsky helped steer economic development policy and investment statewide. He left the post last year but remains chair emeritus. Ken Kruly, Investigative Post researcher and publisher of Politics and Other Stuff, examined the Zemskys’ campaign contributions over the past five years.
Largest recipients of Zemsky donations
| CANDIDATE | OFFICE | AMOUNT |
| Andrew Cuomo | Governor | $ 35,000 |
| Kathy Hochul | Lt. Governor | $ 21,100 |
| Mark Poloncarz | County Executive | $ 20,000 |
| Hillary Clinton | President | $ 16,200 |
| Byron Brown | Mayor | $ 16,100 |
| Brian Higgins | Congress | $ 15,700 |
| Gareth Rhodes | Congress | $ 10,800 |
| Joe Morelle | Congress | $ 10,500 |
| Anthony Brindisi | Congress | $ 10,400 |
| Tim Kennedy | Senator | $ 10,250 |
| Erie County Democratic Com. | Party | $ 10,000 |
| Sean Ryan | Assembly, Senate | $ 6,000 |
| Joe Biden | President | $ 5,000 |
| Mark Schroeder | Comptroller | $ 5,000 |
| Crystal Peoples-Stokes | Assembly | $ 4,500 |
| Lidsay Boylan | Congress | $ 4,000 |
| Paul Dyster | Mayor | $ 2,500 |
Source: New York Board of Elections, Federal Elections Commission.
Talking Points
- Howard and Leslie Zemsky personally have donated a total of $236,355 to candidates running in federal, state and local elections over the past five years.
- All of the 32 candidates who received those contributions were Democrats.
- The couple donates to establishment politicians, either incumbents or candidates endorsed by the Democratic Party.
- $151,130 was directed to state and local politicians. The largest amounts went to Gov. Andrew Cuomo ($35,000); Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul ($21,100); Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz ($20,000); and Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown ($16,100).
- Local recipients of Zemsky contributions also include the Erie County Democratic Committee ($10,000); Assemblymember/Senator-elect Sean Ryan ($6,000); former Buffalo Comptroller Mark Schroeder ($5,000); Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes ($4,600); and former Niagara Falls Mayor Paul Dyster ($2,500).
- The Zemskys gave $85,825 to federal candidates. The largest donations went to presidential candidate Hillary Clinton ($16,200); Congressman Brian Higgins ($15,700); Hudson Valley congressional candidate Gareth Rhodes ($10,800); and Rochester Congressman Joe Morelle ($10,500).
- Lindsay Boylan, who ran a primary race for Congress in NY10 in June 2020 received $4,000 from Leslie Zemsky; in December 2020 Boylan accused Cuomo of sexual harassment, a charge the governor’s office denied.
- Unlike many real estate developers, the Zemskys seem to prefer personal, rather than corporate, contributions. In the past five years, just two corporate entities the family controls made contributions to candidates, adding $3,100 to the totals documented above. LCO Building LLC, which owns 11 addresses in the Larkinville district, made two $550 contributions to Brown. Taurus Capital Partners, the family’s investment firm, sent two $1,000 contributions to Peoples-Stokes.
Podcast
Ken and Geoff Kelly discuss Howard Zemsky’s political contributions, plus Ken’s analysis of the money local businesses, organizations and even governments spend on lobbying state officials in Albany.
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