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Companies and nonprofit organizations that receive PPP loans may have the loans forgiven if they meet certain criteria, including not laying off employees during an 8-week period covered by the loan. Applicants must attest in their application that the loans are necessary for their continuing operation. Note: This data includes loan applications approved by banks and submitted to the SBA. It may not reflect money distributed to, or credit used by, a given company.
If you are a representative of this company and believe this record is in error, contact us.
Some of New York’s largest lobbying firms took loans under the federal Paycheck Protection Program, even as they signed up new clients during the coronavirus pandemic, records show.
Six of the highest-grossing firms in the state appeared on a Small Business Administration list of PPP loan recipients. Each of those firms took on new clients between March 1 and July 1, state records show, but representatives said they saw other areas of their business decrease.
Most of the loans were for less than $1 million, and at least one firm has repaid the money. An SBA spokesman said under the agency’s regulations, applicants that derive over 50% of their gross annual revenue from political or lobbying activities aren’t eligible for the PPP.
Several of the New York firms said they were eligible to receive the money because their public affairs work isn’t all classified as lobbying. They said they are trying to navigate choppy economic waters.
Kasirer LLC, which in 2018 hauled in more than $12.8 million in lobbying fees, the most of any firm in the state, took a loan of between $350,000 and $1 million. Park Strategies LLC, which was founded by former U.S. Sen. Alfonse D’Amato, also accepted a loan in that range.
Suri Kasirer, president of her eponymous firm, said in an email that she works for tourism and travel clients that were decimated by the pandemic. The firm has signed some new clients, but they hold short-term contracts.
“Despite these challenges, as a small independently owned business I’ve been able to keep my team intact and continue our work on behalf of many sectors vital to New York’s economy in large measure because of the PPP,” Ms. Kasirer wrote in an email.
Park Strategies registered six new clients, including an Albany construction firm and a pro bono contract with Verizon Com munications Inc., according to state records. Christopher D’Amato, Park Strategies’ executive vice president and the former senator’s son, didn’t return requests for comment.
To apply for a loan, a business had to assert that “current economic uncertainty” made the loan request necessary to support its operations. As of June 30, loans totaling $38.3 billion were approved for 323,903 New York businesses, according to SBA data. The loans can be forgiven if an employer spends the money on payroll and certain other expenses.
Suri Kasirer said her firm, which received a PPP loan, has tourism and travel clients that were decimated by the pandemic.
PHOTO: ROBIN PLATZER/TWIN IMAGES/ZUMA PRESS
At least two dozen of the recipients are firms whose activity involves influencing New York’s state and local governments. They include public-affairs firms that advise clients on how to present themselves to both officials and the public, but don’t register their billings with state regulators because they don’t meet the legal definition of lobbying.
One is BerlinRosen, which received a loan of between $2 million and $5 million on May 1. Jonathan Rosen, a principal of the firm, said it felt an “immediate effect” from the pandemic, which prompted broad business closures in New York starting March 23. Mr. Rosen said around 75% of the firm’s revenue comes from consumer-facing public relations work and strategic consulting that doesn’t involve political activity or lobbying.
Dozens of nonprofit groups, some of whom advocate on state policies in addition to their regular activities, also received PPP funding. The New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association received a loan in May because it feared the state would close prisons and lay off members, a spokesman said. It anticipates returning the money.
Michael Kink, executive director of the labor-backed Strong Economy for All coalition, which lobbies for higher taxes on the rich, laughed when told that lobbying firms had taken PPP loans.
“I don’t know that the goal of the federal response to the coronavirus was to give a firm footing to corporate lobbying firms. It was supposed to be intended to help the kinds of businesses that were hit hardest by the pandemic: service businesses, restaurants and small businesses that lost all their customers,” Mr. Kink said.
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Greg Biryla, the New York state director for the National Federation of Independent Business, said he had no problem with lobbying firms taking loans. “Some of them can be classified as small businesses, and those are paychecks for those families,” he said.
The Albany lobbying firm Bolton-St. Johns received and returned a loan of between $350,000 and $1 million. State records show the firm is now lobbying on behalf of Broadway theaters as well as a Chicago-based online learning company.
“As it turns out, we lost one client. We did see some clients reduce retainers but we’ve actually seen our business grow,” said Bolton head Giorgio DeRosa.
THE QUESTION: What was Mr. D’Amato’s nickname while in the U.S. Senate?
— Know the answer? Send me an email!
THE LAST ANSWER: U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is now the youngest woman who was ever elected to Congress. She took the title from Rep. Elise Stefanik, who took it from former Rep. Elizabeth Holtzman.
James Lorenzen, David Smith, Mark Green, Esq., Catherine Cash, Saul Roth, Park Strategies, LLC, Nassau County Police Commissioner, Patrick Ryder, International Investigation Group, Ltd, Gassman, Baiamonte, Gruner, P.C., James Cash, David Mack, Daniel Ribacoff, Hon. Madeline Singas, Lisa Ribacoff, Stanley Redy, M.D., Richard Murphy, Jason Hernandez, The County of Suffolk, Hon. Joseph H. Lorintz, Joshua Gruner, Esq., Stephen Gassman, Esq., Jimmy Lee, South Nassau Communities Hospital, Namdi Odiah, M.D., Frances Bein, Vincent Adamo, Schlissel, Ostrow & Karabatos, PLLC, Alfo
nse D'Amato, The Nassau County Police Department, Joshua Kuglar, M.D. and The County of Nassau
Case Number:
2:2019cv01398
Filed:
March 11, 2019
Court:
US District Court for the Eastern District of New York
Filing 5 Proposed Summons. by Katuria D'Amato (Liotti, Thomas)
March 12, 2019
Filing 4 In accordance with Rule 73 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and Local Rule 73.1, the parties are notified that if all parties consent a United States magistrate judge of this court is available to conduct all proceedings in this civil action including a (jury or nonjury) trial and to order the entry of a final judgment. Attached to the Notice is a blank copy of the consent form that should be filled out, signed and filed electronically only if all parties wish to consent. The form may also be accessed at the following link: #http://www.uscourts.gov/uscourts/FormsAndFees/Forms/AO085.pdf. You may withhold your consent without adverse substantive consequences. Do NOT return or file the consent unless all parties have signed the consent. (Rodin, Deanna)
March 12, 2019
Case Assigned to Judge Joan M. Azrack and Magistrate Judge Arlene R. Lindsay. Please download and review the Individual Practices of the assigned Judges, located on our #website. Attorneys are responsible for providing courtesy copies to judges where their Individual Practices require such. (Rodin, Deanna
)
March 12, 2019
Proposed summons is rejected; the form that is on the Court's website is to be utilized; Counsel is advised to submit another proposed summons using the event Proposed Summons/Civil Cover Sheet. (Rodin, Deanna)
March 12, 2019
Incorrect Document Entry Information. Defendants were added to the case incorrectly; docket entry 1 was deleted and re-entered against corrected defendants. (Rodin, Deanna)
March 12, 2019
Filing 3 This attorney case opening filing has been checked for quality control. See the attachment for corrections that were made, if any. (Davis, Kimberly) . (Additional attachment(s) added on 3/12/2019: #1 Additional Corrections) (Rodin, Deanna).
March 12, 2019
Filing 2 Proposed Summons.Civil Cover Sheet.. by Alfonso D'Amato, Katuria D'Amato, Luciana D'Amato (Attachments: #1 Civil Cover Sheet) (Liotti, Thomas)
March 12, 2019
NOTICE : The Clerk's Office cannot assign this case without a completed Civil Cover Sheet and Proposed Summons. Counsel is directed to forward a completed (2 Page Form)Civil Cover Sheet, answering all questions including the NY-E Division of Business Rule 50.1(d)(2) section on the second page. Please use the event Proposed Summons/Civil Cover Sheet. (Davis, Kimberly)
March 11, 2019
FILING FEE: $400, receipt number ANYEDC-11275443 (Rodin, Deanna)
March 11, 2019
Filing 1 COMPLAINT against All Defendants, Was the Disclosure Statement on Civil Cover Sheet completed -No, filed by Katuria D'Amato. (Attachments: #1 Exhibit A) (Rodin, Deanna) Modified on 3/12/2019 (Rodin, Deanna).
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