By: Benyamin Davidsons
Loree Sutton, underdog in NYC’s 2021 mayoral race, is in the news trying to capitalize on her fellow candidates’ recent rejection of the real estate industry.
As reported by Crain’s NY, after New York City Comptroller, Scott Stringer shunned developer and landlord money, Sutton stepped up to say she wouldn’t turn away real Estate funds for her campaign. The retired Army general and former city veteran’s commissioner under Mayor Bill de Blasio, has become the third female mayoral contender. On Friday, Sutton seized the opportunity to criticize her fellow candidates for snubbing the real estate industry.
“Shunning an entire industry that helps our City run is the wrong approach. To all in the Real Estate Industry that @scottmstringer is throwing off his team, I welcome you to join ours–because we’re all in this together!,” Sutton tweeted on Friday. “There are bad actors in every line of work. But there are also good ones who are willing to work collaboratively to move our City forward. To write off an entire industry is a mistake. And I won’t do it as a candidate or as the next Mayor,” she added in a separate tweet.
On Thursday, City Comptroller Scott Stringer had announced that he would not accept more contributions from developers and landlords. Of course, he has already amassed close to $1 million from the Big Apple’s largest landlords. As per the NY Post, Stringer said nothing about the money he has already received, and was prompted to make the statement after his rival candidate City Council Speaker Corey Johnson said he wouldn’t take real estate contributions. A source told the Post that Stringer felt Corey’s position was hurting him and so he jumped on the bandwagon. Many progressives believe too many politicians bow to the interests of the big real estate players over that of their constituents because of their hefty campaign donations. They also fault big developers and property owners for making the city unaffordable.
Sutton, 60, a former brigadier general, was the founding director of the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE) and also served as special assistant to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs. The former Army psychiatrist is openly gay, and asked her wife, Laurie Leitch, to marry her at the 2015 pride parade in NYC.
Sutton is considered a long shot in the crowded 110th mayoral race, with top candidates including well-known figures including Johnson, Stringer, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. The 2021 mayoral campaign also includes two other female candidates. They are Dianne Morales, who heads the non-profit Phipps Neighborhoods, and Jocelyn Taylor who runs the contracting company and uses the motto, “What matters to you, matters to me”.
“I am committed to creating a vibrant and livable New York City community that works for all of us, grounded on the four core values of equity, health, prosperity, and sustainability,” said Sutton.
