Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams is racing the clock to rack in big-buck donations for a controversial nonprofit he created to advance pet projects — all before a new city law takes effect in January that will dramatically limit such contributions.
Roughly a year after federal and state prosecutors helped shame Mayor de Blasio into shuttering his Campaign for One New York, which aggressively raised funds from people doing business with the city, Adams’ One Brooklyn Fund — which has also been the subject of multiple investigations — is set to host its first major fundraiser.
The deep-pocketed supporters invited to the Sept. 27 “inaugural gala” at the Brooklyn Museum include companies who have received work or have other types of business relationships with the city, according to people on the guest list.
Moreover, corporate sponsors helping pay for it include the Barclays Center and its developer Forest City Ratner, and major DUMBO developer Two Trees Management — all of which have enjoyed longtime cozy business relationships with both Borough Hall and City Hall.
“Unlike the mayor, who has ceased operations of [CONY], this is a last-gasp effort by Eric Adams to rake in the dough before the new law goes into effect,” charged Dick Dadey, executive director of the good-government group Citizens Union.
The City Council last December pressured de Blasio to sign into law a bill prohibiting anyone with city contracts or who does other types of city business from donating more than $400 a year to nonprofits tied to elected officials or their staffers.
The bill was aimed at silencing de Blasio’s nonprofit, which had raised $4.3 million to push the mayor’s agenda by relying heavily on five- and six-figure donations.
However, the law does not kick in until 2018.
Adams, who is eying a mayoral run in four years, is asking guests to fork over $150 per plate for advance tickets — and VIPs $500 — for a fundraising dinner honoring “Cornerstone Brooklyn Businesses” who’ve been operating in the borough at least 50 years.
The Post last year reported that One Brooklyn was the subject of two separate city Department of Investigation probes, and like de Blasio’s nonprofit, was also scrutinized by the feds to see whether it was used to dish out pay-to-play favors to donors.
In March, federal and state authorities dropped their probes into de Blasio’s fundraising efforts but still criticized his administration for violating the “intent and spirit” of election law.
Since being formed three years ago, One Brooklyn has reported collecting up to $1.34 million in donations and has pocketed another $349,700 in City Council funding, records show. The money collected is used to help sponsor summer concerts, senior events and other public programs that heavily promote Adams.
One Brooklyn’s donors already include Broadway Stages, a Brooklyn-based firm that gave at least $100,000 and was questioned in the probes of de Blasio’s fund-raising; and Park Developers & Builders, which gave at least $5,000 and was subpoenaed by the state Attorney General’s office in 2015 for its bid to raze a Brooklyn nursing home and replace it with a housing complex.
“I find it very surprising that the borough president hasn’t learned anything after what happened with the mayor,” said a top Brooklyn political operative invited to the gala. “Many people invited feel pressured and are wondering whether giving money is the best move for them.”
Adams’ spokesman Stefan Ringel said “approval” to host the gala “was sought and received” from the city’s Conflicts of Interest Board.
“We’re excited that Brooklyn businesses understand the importance of being good corporate citizens [and] giving back to the borough,” Ringel said. “Their commitment to public-private partnerships fills the gaps that government cannot meet in serving the underserved in our communities.”
DOI has twice investigated One Brooklyn, and both times determined it was breaking city rules, although the nonprofit was not hit with any penalties. In a 2014 case, DOI determined the nonprofit failed to properly inform potential donors their contributions won’t affect any business they have with the borough president, according to agency records.
In 2016, DOI found One Brooklyn wrongly collected more than $95,000 in rental fees for Borough Hall events rather than have the payments go into the city coffers. The money was ultimately given to the city.
DOI first began scrutinizing One Brooklyn after the Post reported in March 2014 that it was soliciting donations — even though it had yet to register with the state and technically did not exist.