Gay hotelier, Ian Reisner, wrote a check for Ted Cruz’s presidential campaign at the “fireside chat” held at his Central Park penthouse, but asked for the money back after news of the dinner got out.
Reisner and business partner Mati Weiderpass came under attack via social media after hosting anti-gay presidential hopeful Cruz April 22.
Reisner took to Facebook April 26, after the event, posting “I am shaken to my bones by the e-mails, texts, postings and phone calls of the past few days. I made a terrible mistake I was ignorant, naive and much too quick in accepting a request to co-host a dinner with Cruz at my home without taking the time to completely understand all of his positions on gay rights.”
Reisner went on to tell New York magazine that neither he nor Weiderpass had contributed any money to Cruz’s campaign.
As it so happens, Reisner wrote a check that night for $2,700 – the maximum donation allowed. Once the story of the dinner broke in the New York Times, Reisner contacted the campaign and asked for his check to be returned.
“In the interest of transparency, I gave Senator Cruz a $2,700 check to show my support for his work on behalf of Israel,” Mr. Reisner said to the New York Times. “When I realized his donation could be misconstrued as supporting his anti-gay marriage agenda, I asked for the money back. Senator Cruz’s office gave the money back, and I have no intention of giving any money to any politicians who aren’t in support of LGBT issues.”
Cruz’s camp declined to comment on the New York Times‘ story.
