Carl Heastie, 59, has broken his silence on social media about a luxury Rio de Janeiro birthday trip that ethics watchdogs are scrutinizing.
The powerful Bronx Democrat and New York Assembly Speaker posted multiple Instagram pictures in the past week showing him taking in the Marvelous City and attending a Rio “Boys In Brazil Party” event hosted by former Dallas linebacker Charles Haley on Sept. 25. Some of the images featured him alongside longtime political ally and current top lobbyist Patrick Jenkins.
Online packages for such an international jaunt to the South American city start around $3,000 per person and can reach as high as $4,299, not even including airfare. Neither Heastie nor Jenkins will say who picked up the tab for the multiday excursion.
“New York State’s ethics laws require both public servants and lobbyists to follow strict gift rules that limit gifts at $15 total,” Rachael Fauss, senior policy adviser with the government watchdog group Reinvent Albany, said in a statement.
“We hope that ethics rules are being followed by both parties, particularly given the apparent cost of this trip.”
The New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government states on its website that state officers and employees generally are prohibited from soliciting or accepting gifts of more than “nominal value” from individuals and entities that do business with the state. The commission notes several exceptions to this prohibition, including gifts for personal friends, provided “that the relationship is not being used as a pretext to give an otherwise impermissible gift.”
Heastie and Jenkins’ relationship stretches back decades. The pair were college roommates at SUNY Stony Brook. Jenkins’ modest lobbying operation skyrocketed into a multimillion-dollar enterprise alongside Heastie’s rise through Albany’s ranks. The consultant now represents deep-pocketed and influential groups including the New York Trial Lawyers Association, Sports Betting Alliance and Google.
Heastie and Jenkins did not respond to multiple requests for comment about whether the lobbyist or any of his clients paid for the assembly’s most powerful Democrat to travel to Brazil. The State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government, which enforces the Empire State’s lobbying laws, also did not respond to a request for comment.
This is not the first time Heastie has faced questions about relationships with lobbyists. He previously refused to comment or answer questions about ethics concerns regarding a romantic relationship he had with lobbyist Rebecca Lamorte.
The Brazil trip photos emerged as Heastie continues to wield significant influence over state legislation affecting many of Jenkins’ clients. The trial lawyers, sports betting interests and technology giants that Jenkins represents all have substantial stakes in bills moving through the legislature Heastie controls.