James Dolan forms political expenditure committee ahead of 2021 NYC mayor’s race

Madison Square Garden boss James Dolan has placed a $4 million bet on the upcoming NYC mayoral election — and he’s hoping to have better luck in politics than he’s had with his Knicks or Rangers in recent years.

The polarizing sports and entertainment mogul has formed a new political expenditure committee called “The Coalition to Restore New York” and seeded it with $4 million in cash from the Madison Square Garden Sports Corp. and Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp.

Dolan, 65, said he’s willing to spend more money if need be to educate voters about who might best lead Gotham before the June 2021 Democratic primary.

Dolan’s new committee plans to inundate the five boroughs with TV spots, direct mail, digital ads and other educational messages — and demand answers from all the candidates on “the five questions.”

Those questions are: How will you stop the exodus of residents from New York City? How will you address the city’s increasing budget deficit? How will you get New Yorkers back to work? How will you make our city’s streets safer? And how will you bring back tourism?

“You’re going to get so sick and tired of hearing about these five questions by June,” Dolan laughed. “Believe me. That’s my goal.

“Don’t think that just because we all get vaccinated that New York is going to come back,” he warned, adding that his wealthy friends have fled to low-tax states like Texas and Florida. “That’s the part that really scares me. A big part of New York won’t come back.”

Former Citigroup vice chairman Ray McGuire
James Dolan has already donated so several NYC mayoral candidates, including former Citigroup vice chairman Ray McGuire.
Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Dolan, a longtime conservative stalwart who gave more than $100,000 to the Republican National Committee last year, said he had no expectation the city GOP will be able to field a credible candidate for City Hall.

“It’s really not about the November elections. The mayor of New York is most likely going to be chosen in June,” he said, referring to the Democratic Party primary.

Dolan has already sprinkled some cash to Democratic candidates who have impressed him so far. Banker Ray McGuire, and former Office of Management and Budget director and Obama Housing Secretary Shaun Donovan have each gotten $5,100. He gave $2,000 to Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams.

“I like to encourage people who I think are going to help New York,” Dolan said. “I think so far those three but there will probably be more” to whom he donates.

Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, who is running for mayor, is pictured outside the Prospect Park subway stop in 2018.
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, who is running for mayor, is pictured outside the Prospect Park subway stop in 2018.
Annie Wermiel

Other notable Dem contenders for the city’s top job include former presidential candidate Andrew Yang, ex-Blaz counsel Maya Wiley and City Comptroller Scott Stringer.

GOP hopefuls, meanwhile, are few and far between. John Catsimatidis, a billionaire and likely the party’s strongest contender, has lately been talking about running as a Democrat. Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s son Andrew has also talked about getting in the race.

Dolan said his favorite mayor was Mike Bloomberg.

“He and I weren’t always best of friends. We disagreed about the West Side Stadium and about the Olympics, and we locked horns with things like that, but I still think he was very good mayor,” Dolan said.

Dolan’s mayor’s-race foray comes after he stuck his nose into the Staten Island Congressional race last year. After being insulted by Rep. Max Rose over his management of the Knicks, an angry Dolan poured at least $50,000 into the coffers of GOP challenger Nicole Malliotakis — and urged his wealthy friends to pony up too. Rose lost in a landslide.

“I’m happy for her that she got elected,” he said.

Dolan said he was motivated to step in as the city continues to face devastation caused by the coronavirus pandemic. His own Knicks and Rangers have been forced to play games without fans — putting a big hole in MSG finances. The Garden reported a $78.5 million loss in its fiscal fourth quarter of 2020, and public filings show the pandemic could cost MSG Sports $450 million in lost revenue on an annualized basis.

Former Obama housing secretary Shaun Donovan
Former Obama housing secretary Shaun Donovan speaks during a virtual announcement of his candidacy for the 2021 NYC mayoral race.
Bebeto Matthews/AP

The sports boss said he was very much open to federal assistance.

“I’m hoping for help from everywhere,” he said. “We need help. It’s not political. … We need solutions.”

He said he was hoping for the success of Joe Biden and the new administration.

“I hope everything goes well there because to hope that somebody doesn’t do well in a position like that is like hoping for the milk man to bring you sour milk,” said Dolan. “It’s our government. I don’t want it to run badly. I want it to run well no matter who it is.”

source: nypost.com