Several lawmakers in Albany who describe themselves as socialists and progressives have access to considerable financial resources, despite advocating for policies centered on economic equality and wealth redistribution. Their well-funded positions highlight a growing presence of resource-rich progressive voices in New York politics.State Senator Liz Krueger, who advocated for “rent control for the rich” while claiming to support the middle class, holds nearly $24 million in investments, based on newly released 2024 financial disclosure statements.It’s unlikely that the progressive politician’s $142,000 annual salary as a state senator, a position she has held since 2002, is the sole source of her substantial wealth.Krueger’s father, Harvey, served as CEO of an investment bank that later merged with Lehman Brothers, where he went on to become vice chairman.The Ridgewood native, who once suggested New York should leave the “land of the free” and join Canada after President Trump’s election, may be even wealthier than reported, as state lawmakers aren’t required to disclose assets held in family-established trusts.Krueger, 67, who resides on Manhattan’s upper east side with her husband, a retired CUNY professor, holds a diverse portfolio of stocks and bonds, including nearly $8 million in Apple shares, according to the disclosures.Another progressive lawmaker, Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado, has nearly $1.1 million across various bank accounts.According to the filings, his wife, Lacey Schwartz Delgado, is an Emmy-nominated filmmaker and serves on multiple film boards.Delgado, sometimes referred to as “No Show Delgado” due to his reported absence from work on numerous occasions while serving as Governor Hochul’s $220,000-a-year deputy, is now seeking to succeed her.Meanwhile, socialist State Senator Jabari Brisport, an ally of mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani in Albany, previously joined AOC in criticizing capitalism.He sold his holdings in the cryptocurrency Ethereum last year to invest up to $250,000 in a “US Vegan Climate ETF.”Whereas some other disclosures revealed,Assemblymember Phara Souffrant Forrest, balances her role representing Brooklyn with a $50,000 part-time job as a registered nurse. According to her disclosure, she worked at Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx last year.Emily Gallagher, the Brooklyn assemblywoman known for her anti-car stance and multiple traffic tickets, revealed a new job for her husband. After short periods working at a Greenpoint arts supply store and a wine shop, Andrew Ward Lundwall is now employed at a Williamsburg cannabis shop handling inventory.
