Madison Square Garden-backed PAC spends on 3 NYC Council candidates

A Madison Square Garden-backed PAC is spending roughly 33 VIP Knicks playoff tickets’ worth – $99,000 – on three Democratic New York City Council candidates in competitive primaries this June.

Incumbent Council Member Darlene Mealy and first-time candidates Dermot Smyth and Maya Kornberg are all benefitting from the James Dolan-backed independent expenditure committee. The Coalition to Restore New York, as the committee launched in 2021 is named, has spent $30,000 each on digital ads for Mealy and Smyth, and $39,000 on Kornberg, according to city campaign finance records. Mealy faces seven Democratic primary challengers, while Kornberg is attempting to unseat Democrat Shahana Hanif and Dermot Smyth is vying for conservative Democrat Bob Holden’s soon-to-be-open purple seat.

Independent expenditure committees, which aren’t subject to fundraising and spending limits as candidates themselves are, are not allowed to coordinate with campaigns. The ads launched last week for these three candidates are mostly identical, and don’t dive into hyperlocal issues in their races. They ascribe to Mealy and Smyth priorities of ending homelessness and reducing crime, while Kornberg is described as a candidate who can end homelessness and improve public transit and schools.

“Madison Square Garden is an iconic institution in New York City,” Smyth told City & State, adding he wasn’t aware of the spending. “As a New Yorker, if they’re supporting me, I’m proud of that.” Is Smyth a Knicks fan? “Isn’t everybody in New York a Knicks fan?”

Mealy’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment and Kornberg’s campaign declined to comment. 

Representatives for the committee, which is led by executives at MSG, did not immediately respond to a request for comment about why they are spending in these races. According to the committee website, it is “dedicated to supporting candidates who will be effective leaders, focused on ensuring public safety, addressing the homelessness crisis and increasing affordability so New York City can thrive.” 

But Madison Square Garden will also need supporters in the City Council when its special operating permit comes up for renewal in a few years. Following an initial 50-year permit to operate above Penn Station, followed by a 10-year permit granted in 2013, the venue secured only a 5-year renewal in 2023.

The MSG entertainment and sports companies – which are separate entities – each contributed at least $250,000 to the committee, leaving plenty of room to spend on more of its endorsed candidates in the next six weeks or through the general. Earlier this year, the committee spent $30,000 on polling, according to state campaign finance records.