Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg scored comp tickets to 17 swanky galas last year, many by lefty groups
Fourteen of the 17 freebies were dished out by nonprofits and other organizations with city contracts — and more than half ranged from $1,000 to nearly $5,000 in value, including some attended by music and sports industry celebs, according to a review of Bragg's yearly financial disclosure filings with the city's Conflicts of Interest Board.
They included:
The NYC Police Foundation's June 6 gala at the Intrepid Museum in Manhattan where tickets ran at least $2,500 each, and Giants Super Bowl MVP Phil Simms attended.
A event also held June 6 for Brooklyn-based Center for Alternatives Sentencing and Employment Services, who provided Bragg tickets worth $50 to $999 in value.
The three events Bragg attended that were not thrown by groups with city business included the April 10 'Keepers of the Dream' gala for Rev. Al Sharpton's civil rights group National Action Network, which holds plenty of clout with New York Democratic pols. The DA valued his ducats being worth anywhere from $1,000 to nearly $5,000.
4 Soft-on-crime Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg attended 17 swanky galas and other predominately $1,000-plus-per plate black tie-affairs last year with mostly groups pushing anti-jail and other lefty causes picking up the hefty tab, The Post has learned.
WireImage
Bragg — a Democrat who's has been slammed by critics since taking over as DA in 2022 for villainizing victims while going easy on suspects — reported his ticket totals were worth in the range of $9,400 to nearly $53,000.
4 Many of Bragg's comped tickets blur the lines of potential conflicts of interest because as Manhattan's lead prosecutor he should avoid schmoozing with groups pushing a woke social justice agenda, critics said. Bragg, seen here in the black suit, at an event.
ManhattanDA/ X
By comparison, Bronx DA Darcel Clark reported attending 10 events last year as gifts worth a combined $1,400 to nearly $13,000; Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez reported attending seven valued at combined $2,260; and Queens DA Melinda Katz and Staten Island DA Michael McMahon reported no such freebies.
4 Bragg, seen here shaking hands with Gov. Hochul, reported the value of the free tickets he was given to attend 17 galas last year as $9,400 to nearly $53,000 combined.
ManhattanDA/ X
Many of Bragg's comped tickets blur the lines of potential conflicts of interest because as Manhattan's lead prosecutor he should avoid schmoozing with groups pushing a woke social justice agenda, critics said.
And Bragg 'should know better' than to 'accept complimentary gifts from businesses that do business with the city,' said Republican Maud Maron, a former Legal Aid Society attorney running against Bragg for Manhattan DA.
4 Bragg, fourth from left in the rear, poses with Gov. Hochul, actor Robert De Niro, Rev. Al Sharpton and other attendees at a National Action Network gala in 2023. Bragg did not report being comped to attend the event in his financial disclosure statements, but he did so for another NAN event in 2024.
Alamy Stock Photo
'Of course he spends his free time rubbing shoulders with the moneyed elite whose luxury beliefs let them feel good about themselves while imposing steep costs on everyday New Yorkers who can't buy their way out of crime and grime,' she said.
Bragg didn't list attending any events as free gifts in his previous financial disclosure statements for 2022 and 2023.
'Instead of focusing on making our streets safer, DA Bragg has focused on hobnobbing with special interests at glitzy events,' said Diana Florence, a veteran prosecutor running as an independent against him in November's general election.
'Since day one, he has pursued a social experiment that's made our city more hospitable for criminals and less safe for everyone else. Enough is enough.'
Bragg spokesperson Danielle Filson said the DA 'fully disclosed his support and attended events for victims of domestic violence, NAN, the NYC Police Foundation … and other civic, charitable and community organizations whose work is relevant to the office – just like his predecessors and fellow DAs.'
'This is nothing but a pathetic attempt to smear Bragg's strong record of keeping Manhattan safe to score cheap political points,' she said of his critics.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
a few seconds ago
- Newsweek
Lewis Hamilton Reportedly Dating British Pop Singer From 'F1' Movie
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Ferrari Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton has been rumored to be dating British pop singer Raye, who worked with him for the 'F1' movie. Raye was spotted in the Ferrari garage during the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, supporting Hamilton during his first home race with the Maranello-based team. Hamilton has reportedly dated several popular personalities throughout his F1 career thus far, such as Hips Don't Lie artist Shakira in 2023. Early this year, Hamilton was spotted having lunch with Colombian actress Sofia Vergara in New York, and now, a report by Planet F1 has linked the 40-year-old driver to Raye. Originally named Rachel Keen, the 27-year-old singer performed on stage at Silverstone, earning praise from Hamilton. Raye also composed a track for the 'F1' movie, which was co-produced by the seven-time world champion. Raye was present for the F1 season opener in Melbourne in March, cheering for Hamilton. Speaking to Sky Sports F1's Martin Brundle before the race, she said: Fourth placed qualifier Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Scuderia Ferrari is interviewed during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Austria at Red Bull Ring on June 28, 2025 in Spielberg, Austria. Fourth placed qualifier Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Scuderia Ferrari is interviewed during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Austria at Red Bull Ring on June 28, 2025 in Spielberg, Austria."Team Lewis! We couldn't miss this moment. "This is electric. The first black man in red, we're so proud to see it." When asked if she was in touch with Hamilton throughout the race weekend, she said: "Yeah, no. He's had to really get in his zone. "We're just here to support and I'm so grateful I get to be here to witness this moment." Months later, Raye's performance impressed Hamilton after the British GP qualifying session. Speaking to the media, he said: "Raye is the first concert I've been to after a race and she was great. She was the first concert I've been to at Silverstone actually. So it was great to see her, wasn't it? "It's so great that acts can come here now. When I was watching last night I was like it's incredible to perform here the crowd were great." RAYE IN THE FERRARI GARAGE WITH ANTHONY HAMILTON ❤️ — sim (@simsgazette) March 14, 2025 Hamilton's P4 finish at Silverstone was his best result thus far with Ferrari. The last stage of the race saw him battle with Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg for P3, who surprisingly held his ground and secured his first F1 podium. Given the spell of rain and the poor visibility that followed, Hamilton revealed that his Ferrari SF-25 was a tricky machine to drive in those conditions. He said: "[It was a] difficult race, not a great one from my side. I did the best I could. "As it showed there was plenty of mistakes out there and very, very tricky conditions, in really a very, very hard car to drive here – this car doesn't like those conditions. Not ideal, but we got some points at least."
The Hill
an hour ago
- The Hill
DOJ rocked by wave of Trump firings
The Justice Department has been rocked by a wave of recent firings, a sign the administration is not done culling the ranks of career officials as it seeks to shape the department under a second Trump term. Maurene Comey, a New York-based federal prosecutor and the daughter of the former FBI director, was fired Wednesday without explanation. And news broke this week that the Justice Department also fired immigration court Judge Jennifer Peyton, who served as head of the Chicago immigration court system, shortly after the jurist gave a tour to Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), ranking member of the Judiciary Committee. Those firings come on the heels of the dismissal of at least 20 staffers who worked under special counsel Jack Smith, a group that includes not only attorneys but also support staff and even U.S. Marshals. Attorney General Pam Bondi last week also fired the top career ethics official at the department, Joseph Tirrell, the latest in a string of ethics officials pushed out under President Trump. 'Every time I think we're at some point when the firings are over, there's another wave. So I would predict we'll see more,' said Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. 'It's more dedicated career professionals being given walking papers when they really deserve to be elevated and empowered. And to fire the ethics attorney, I think, speaks volumes about where she's taking the department,' Blumenthal said. Justice Connection, a network of the department's alumni dedicated to protecting 'colleagues who are under attack,' estimate that more than 200 employees have been terminated at DOJ, a figure that includes firings at the FBI and other agencies, as well as prosecutors that worked on the cases of Jan. 6 rioters at the U.S. Attorney's Office in D.C. 'The senseless terminations at the Justice Department are growing exponentially. The very institution created to enforce the law is trampling over the civil service laws enacted by Congress. It's shameful, and it's devastating the workforce,' Stacey Young, executive director and founder of the group, said in a statement to The Hill 'DOJ leadership is making clear the ability to keep your job is not tied to your performance, your expertise, or your commitment to uphold and defend the Constitution. Those who remain at the department are now worried about how to uphold their professional ethical standards when it seems that their willingness to do whatever they are ordered matters more than any other aspect of their work.' The Justice Department declined to comment on personnel matters. Many of the attorneys that were fired have received brief letters saying they were terminated under the authority of the second article of the constitution, the one that establishes the presidency. A letter from Comey to her colleagues referenced the guiding ethos of the Justice Department: to pursue cases 'without fear or favor.' 'Our focus was really on acting 'without favor.' That is, making sure people with access, money, and power were not treated differently than anyone else; and making sure this office remained separate from politics and focused only on the facts and the law,' Comey said in the memo, adding, 'but we have entered a new phase where 'without fear' may be the challenge.' In the case of Peyton, Durbin said he sees a direct line between the tour she gave him – something he called a routine oversight visit – and her termination. 'Judge Peyton took time to show me the court and explain its functions. Soon after, she received an email from Department of Justice political appointees. The email claimed that immigration judges should not directly communicate with members of Congress and congressional staff and required all communications from congressional offices to be forwarded to headquarters for review and response,' Durbin said in a Tuesday email. 'Judge Peyton was fired soon after. Her abrupt termination is an abuse of power by the Administration to punish a non-political judge simply for doing her job.' On Smith's team, the recent firings make for at least 37 staffers who have been dismissed, according to Reuters. And on the ethics front, beyond Terrill, Jeffrey Ragsdale, the head of the Office of Professional Responsibility, which reviews the conduct of attorneys in the department, was fired in March. Brad Weinsheimer, another top ethics official, resigned after he was reassigned to a new working group focused on cracking down on sanctuary cities. Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), also a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said he sees two primary patterns. 'This is Pam Bondi attempting to go after all the president's perceived political enemies, to go after dedicated prosecutors who brought cases successfully to conviction. It's also part of the broader effort to completely rewrite history about Jan. 6,' he told The Hill, adding that he expects more firing of those 'deemed insufficiently pro-MAGA.' He then listed a string of officials inside and outside of DOJ that have been fired under Trump, including the heads of the Office of the Special Counsel and the Office of Government Ethics. 'They seem to be doing everything they can to eviscerate any kind of watchdog or ethical oversight – clearly part of a pattern of trying to eliminate all accountability,' said Schiff, who sent a letter to Bondi this week asking for more details on Terrill's firings and plans to comply with ethics guidelines at the department. Beyond the firings, many Justice Department lawyers have left the department of their own accord, with several sharing with The Hill they feared being asked to do something illegal or would be forced to defend unlawful actions. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, said the result is a culture of fear at the Justice Department. 'The Department of Justice is now a joke. When you look at the history of a once storied and legendary department, Pam Bondi has defined her job as doing whatever Donald Trump wants. She's completely sycophantic and subservient. And there may be some lawyers still left in the building who are trying to do their jobs in an honest way consistent with professional ethics, but everything has been supported, subordinated to the political will of Donald Trump,' he told The Hill. 'It's a tough thing for the real lawyers who are still there, and they express a lot of fear and anxiety about where the DOJ is going.' He added that some Republican colleagues, largely former prosecutors, have privately expressed concern over the firings. 'I have had Republican colleagues who were former federal prosecutors telling me privately that they are absolutely appalled that United States assistant attorneys are being fired because they worked on the January 6 case,' Raskin said. 'Think about the implications of that. People are being fired for doing their jobs well, and their job was bringing cases against people who violently assaulted federal police officers,' he said. But that concern was not publicly shared by Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), the chair of the panel. 'I have confidence in President Trump, confidence in his team at the Justice Department, if that's what they think is in the best interest of fulfilling their mission, that's their call,' he told The Hill. 'I don't know this particulars about each individual, but if that's what the attorney general believes is in the best interest of the Justice Department's mission, that's fine.' Comey and Terrill both addressed morale in letters to their colleagues. Comey said unjustified firings mean 'fear may seep into the decisions of those who remain.' 'Do not let that happen. Fear is the tool of a tyrant, wielded to suppress independent thought. Instead of fear, let this moment fuel the fire that already burns at the heart of this place. A fire of righteous indignation at abuses of power. Of commitment to seek justice for victims. Of dedication to truth above all else,' she wrote. Terrill, too, hinted at a call to action from colleagues. 'I believe in the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. – 'the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice,'' he wrote in a post on LinkedIn that included his brief termination notice. 'I also believe that Edmund Burke is right and that 'the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.'
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Tyler, the Creator Reveals New Album Drops Monday
Tyler, the Creator will release his next album, Don't Tap the Glass on Monday, July 21. On Friday night, during a Barclays Center show in Brooklyn, New York, the rapper shouted out the album title while performing. There was also an installation that recreated the album cover, featuring its title. More from The Hollywood Reporter Cash Cobain on Justin Bieber 'Swag' Collaboration: "We Were Just in There Being Free" Clearing the Way: Robin Kaye's Legacy as a Champion for Music Supervision Girl Group XG on Their Dynamite Coachella Debut and Sharing Their Love for Fans on "Million Places" He later confirmed the news of a new album with an Instagram post, which shows the release date on Saturday morning. Don't Tap the Glass is set to be Tyler's ninth studio album. In October 2024, he dropped Chromakopia, which featured Lil Wayne, Sexyy Red, Daniel Caesar, Doechii, GloRilla, LaToiya Williams, Lola Young, Santigold, Schoolboy Q and Teezo Touchdown. The Flower Boy singer released Chromakopia on a Monday, which means Don't Tap the Glass, from Columbia Records, is his second album in a row to do so, going against the industry standard midnight Friday drop. In a 2023 Nardwuar interview, Tyler explained why he was interested in releasing music early in the week. 'I think we should put music out again on Tuesdays instead of Fridays, for some reasons,' he said. 'My reasoning is, I know people think because of the weekend, they can listen to stuff and the streams go up. And the streaming people are like, 'Oh, the streams go up on the weekend!' But I think it's a lot of passive listening, at parties or people get the time to go to the gym, so they're not really listening.' Earlier this year, Tyler also wrapped filming on Josh Safdie's Marty Supreme. The film stars Timothée Chalamet, Gwyneth Paltrow and will be Tyler's feature film acting debut. It releases from A24 on Christmas Day. Best of The Hollywood Reporter From 'Party in the U.S.A.' to 'Born in the U.S.A.': 20 of America's Most Patriotic (and Un-Patriotic) Musical Offerings Most Anticipated Concert Tours of 2025: Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar & SZA, Sabrina Carpenter and More Hollywood's Most Notable Deaths of 2025 Solve the daily Crossword
