It was more telling who didn’t attend the Real Estate Board of New York’s annual banquet last week.
A slew of powerful Democratic politicians — from Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio to state Attorney General Letitia James and city Comptroller Scott Stringer — have attended the bash in the past to rub elbows with deep-pocketed potential-donor developers.
But amid continuing pressure from the left wing — including the Working Families Party and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-Queens-Bronx) — to not accept campaign cash tied to the real-estate industry and other wealthy interests, the pols have all recently been no-shows, sources said.
Another conspicuous absence: Council Speaker Corey Johnson, who is also running for mayor.
Both Johnson and Stringer indicated they won’t accept real-estate donations during their mayoral bids.
Also MIA: Bronx Borough President and mayoral contender Ruben Diaz Jr., who has attended the banquet in prior years.
“Some politicians are treating the real-estate industry like a toxic chemical,’’ said political consultant Hank Sheinkopf. “It’s because of pressure from the Left. It’s left-wing populism.’’
Scheinkopf said there’s real anger over gentrification, rising housing costs and a struggling and shrinking middle class.
Another source who attended the event said the no-show pols “don’t want to be seen as close to real estate.”
But US Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Democratic minority leader, refused to bow to the pressure, showing and even speaking at last week’s event. He has received more than $1.5 million in donations from the real-estate sector since 2015, according to OpenSecrets.org.
Schumer was treated like a hero as he addressed an industry whose members are reeling after Cuomo and the Democratic-run state Legislature approved a law last year toughening rent-control protections for tenants that impact landlords’ bottom line.
Schumer made it back to New York for the REBNY despite his duties officially opening the Senate impeachment trial against President Trump earlier in the day.
“It is my goal to be the first New Yorker ever to be the majority leader in the Senate of the United States. And if I get that office, I’m going to tell you two things: We will get Gateway [the Amtrak Hudson River tunnel project] built, and we are going to restore the full deduction of state and local taxes,” Schumer said to thunderous applause.
Another notable attendee: Brooklyn Borough President Erica Adams, who is also running for mayor.
Other elected officials who attended include Congressman Gregory Meeks, the Queens Democratic Party chairman; Queens DA Melinda Katz and Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer.
It’s unclear how the Working Families Party – considered the progressive left wing of the Democratic Party — will treat Schumer, Adams and other attendees it has backed in the past.
The WFP in its 2020 questionnaire to candidates seeking its endorsement, asks: “Will you refuse all donations from corporate PACs, real estate and the charter school industry?”
Schumer is not up for re-election until 2022.
The WFP had no immediate comment.
Asked why de Blasio was a no-show, City Hall spokeswoman said, “He had a scheduling conflict this year.” She declined to elaborate.
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A Cuomo spokesman said, “The governor was working on the budget.”
Cuomo’s campaign kitty has received more than $5 million from real-estate donors during his gubernatorial campaigns.
Reps for James and Stringer had no comment.
Diaz Jr. appeared on a Bronx radio show and then had a personal dinner, a spokesman said of his REBNY absence.
Johnson declined comment.
For her part, Brewer, the Manhattan BP, said she showed up even though she disagrees with the real-estate board over issues such as rent control. There are issues where they can find common ground, she said.
“We need affordable housing,” Brewer said.
