Latest news with #Crain's
Newsweek
6 days ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
Howard Lutnick's Ties to Jeffrey Epstein Come Under Scrutiny
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. Howard Lutnick's real estate ties to financier and child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein are once again drawing scrutiny, given the commerce secretary's apparent support for President Donald Trump's dismissal of what he described as "the Epstein case." A 2019 investigation by Crain's found that Epstein—in addition to his infamous townhouse at 9 East 71st Street in Manhattan, also known as the Herbert N. Straus House—had significant links to the adjacent property, which real estate records show is still owned by Lutnick. Newsweek has reached out to the Commerce Department for comment on the property and Lutnick's relationship with his former neighbor. Why It Matters The dispute that has arisen in the Republican Party over Epstein, and the "client list" he is alleged to have possessed, has become a significant thorn in the side of the Trump administration. Prominent MAGA figures including Tucker Carlson and Alex Jones have voiced anger at the refusal to release full details regarding Epstein's past relationships, and the handling of the case has resulted in feuds within and between federal agencies, according to CNN and the BBC. The president himself had long-standing personal ties to Epstein, who died in 2019 from what the Department of Justice recently confirmed as suicide. However, the suicide finding has been disputed by his lawyers and is doubted by a significant number of Americans. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick waves to reporters following a television interview at the White House on June 11, 2025 in Washington, DC. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick waves to reporters following a television interview at the White House on June 11, 2025 in Washington, own links to Epstein stem from overlapping property interests, and do not indicate any interactions or past relationship between the pair. However, the details have nonetheless garnered significant interest on social media, with prominent accounts sharing the information and their posts amassing millions of views. Many are pointing to the findings as further reason to scrutinize the administration's reluctance to provide full transparency over the financer's past connections and the circumstances surrounding his death. What To Know The property at 11 E. 71st St. is situated east of Fifth Avenue, on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. In 2015, Lutnick, then CEO of financial services firm Cantor Fitzgerald, hosted a fundraiser for Democratic Primary candidate Hillary Clinton at the 10,000-square-foot home, and real estate records still list him as the property's owner. In addition to being his neighbor, real estate records show that Epstein was also listed as an owner of the property prior to Lutnick purchasing it in 1998. As first revealed in Crain's 2019 investigation, a now-dissolved entity with links to Epstein called SAM Conversion Corp. bought 11 E. 71st St. in 1988. It was later sold for an unknown consideration to a specialized trust, then to another, the Comet Trust, in 1996. The latter, Crain's found, had financial and familial ties to an individual whose name appeared in Epstein's "black book" of contacts, obtained by the FBI during its investigation. In addition, property records seen by Newsweek show that Epstein was listed as the trustee of the building during these transactions and transfers, while playing a direct role in them. Epstein granted his lawyer Jeffrey Schantz power of attorney over the property in 1996, selling it to the Comet Trust a few weeks later. In 1998, the Comet Trust sold the property to Lutnick, who took out a $4 million mortgage for the purchase, which was paid off in 2018. President Donald Trump speaks to the media after arriving at Joint Base Andrews, Tuesday, July 15, 2025, in Joint Base Andrews, Md., as Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt,... President Donald Trump speaks to the media after arriving at Joint Base Andrews, Tuesday, July 15, 2025, in Joint Base Andrews, Md., as Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, center right, look on. More Evan Vucci/AP Photo The reemergence of these facts has drawn significant attention on social media, with many noting Lutnick's response when Trump again dismissed the relevance of the Epstein case to his presidency. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Trump said: "I don't understand why the Jeffrey Epstein case would be of interest to anybody. It's pretty boring stuff." Trump then blamed "fake news" for keeping the story relevant, prompting a laugh from Lutnick, who stood beside the president Joint Air Base Andrews. "Howard Lutnick, who is laughing it up next to Trump, was Epstein's neighbor in NYC and lived in one of his previous homes, btw..." the X account of progressive media company MeidasTouch posted. What People Are Saying Mark Shanahan, professor of politics at the University of Surrey, previously told Newsweek: "The Epstein backlash has the power to hurt Trump badly and will be far and away the largest factor in his latest polling slip. Releasing the Epstein Files is the Holy Grail for the MAGA base." YouTuber and self-described "internet detective" Coffeezilla posted the video of Lutnick and Trump alongside the caption: "Howard Lutnick was Epstein's neighbor. The laughing at the end..." White House spokesperson Harrison Fields, responding to reports of internal dissent on the Epstein issue, told NewsNation on July 11: "Any attempt to sow division within this team is baseless and distracts from the real progress being made in restoring public safety and pursuing justice for all." What Happens Next? As Republican infighting over the case continues, Trump has shifted responsibility to Attorney General Pam Bondi, who he said on Tuesday should release "whatever she thinks is credible" regarding Epstein.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Washington Heights rallies to save 115-year-old church, community center
Washington Heights community members and elected officials rallied Thursday to save the financially strapped 115-year-old Fort Washington Collegiate Church after leadership announced its closure at the end of June. The closure — first reported by Crain's — was announced in April following a vote by the consistory of the larger Collegiate Church it belongs to that deemed the branch at 181st St. and Fort Washington Ave. 'no longer sustainable.' 'This community will be changed forever if this place does not exist,' said Annette Padilla, whose family has been part of the congregation for three generations. 'We will not give it up easily.' Rev. William Critzman, president of the Collegiate Church of New York, told the Daily News the pandemic underscored 'the need for financial sustainability' and that the decision came after three years of searching for viable alternatives. All worship and programming will end on June 30. 'We know how deeply painful and disappointing this news is,' the Fort Washington Church board said in a statement at the time. 'This church has been a place of love, healing, faith, and belonging for so many, and we understand the heartache this brings to our Fort Washington family and neighborhood.' The future of the land is unclear, though Critzman said the church 'has no intention of selling the property' and hopes to find a nonprofit tenant to take over. The lot is currently listed as available for lease. But speakers at Thursday's rain-soaked rally disputed Collegiate leadership's claims. 'We're here not because of self-inflicted financial mismanagement, but we're here because … Collegiate is acting a little bit more like a corporation,' said Johanna Garcia, a congregant and board member. Local councilmember Carmen De La Rosa said Collegiate 'is not interested in seeing us bring solutions.' 'Asking a working-class community to magically come up with a million dollars, that's inequity,' she said. The original church was constructed in 1909 and added a new wing as part of a $10 million renovation over a decade ago — but is not landmarked. That leaves the door open for a potentially lucrative redevelopment of the more than half-acre of land, which sits at a bustling subway intersection. It comes as many other houses of worship across the city — and country — are at a crossroads, faced with dwindling congregations and the lure of real estate opportunities to offset mounting costs. The inter-denominational Fort Washington congregation is celebrated for its inclusiveness and extensive community programming. Over the years the LGBTQ-friendly space has served as a polling site, hosted choirs, Cub Scouts and Christmas parties, substance abuse support meetings, drag performances and a local synagogue. It is perhaps best known locally for its public garden and free community fridge, which neighbors regularly lined up for. It's been removed as of Thursday. Emely Santiago is a 34-year-old social worker and regular congregant who started a petition opposing the closure that has over 1,300 signatures. She is also a member of the new 'Save Fort Washington Collegiate Church' coalition, which attributes the impending closure to mismanagement. 'A lot of these decisions, we feel, were done behind closed doors with little transparency and almost no regard for the people who could really be affected,' she said. 'We should have a say in what happens in our community, in our backyard, especially when these decisions are being made by individuals who don't live in the neighborhood.' The larger Collegiate Church claims to be the oldest continuing church in the city, with a footprint dating back to the 17th century. But its four Manhattan branches have struggled in the years since the pandemic. Perhaps the biggest blow came in 2021, when a multimillion-dollar deal to build an office tower by the Marble Collegiate Church in NoMad fell through after its development partner went bankrupt — a debacle many congregants blamed for the institution's current financial issues. 'If Collegiate truly cares about justice, then its board must start acting like it: by communicating honestly, exercising care in decision-making, and engaging the voices of the community it claims to serve,' Santiago said. 'Let's call it what it is, three rich churches downtown extracting wealth and resources from the lower-income church uptown.' A second rally is planned for May 20.
