Suits Challenge Developer's Campaign Gift and Other Financial Practices

NEWARK-Back in September, developer Murray Kushner, who heads the Bridgewater, NJ-based M Kushner Group, filed suit against his brother and former partner, Charles Kushner, who heads the Kushner Cos. of Florham Park, NJ. Charging improprieties mostly relating to political contributions, among other things, the action relied in part on a sworn statement by Kushner Cos.’ accounting manager Robert Yontef.

Yontef was fired last month, and promptly turned around and sued his former employer. Yontef’s suit echoes the allegations of the earlier suit and asks for unspecified damages for wrongful termination.

A Kushner spokesperson declined to comment on the suits. Earlier, another spokesperson for the company, New York-based PR guru Howard Rubenstein, issued a statement that said, in part, “this former employer seeks to exploit to his advantage this family dispute between two brothers. [Charles] Kushner is confident that all issues will be successfully resolved.”

The matter has major political implications, since Charles Kushner has been a high-profile campaign contributor in the New York/New Jersey metro area. He is estimated to have contributed upwards of $1.5 million to the campaigns of current New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey over the last five years. Earlier this year, Kushner was appointed to the board of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and has been considered the favorite to be named by McGreevey to head the bi-state agency.

The fast-growing Kushner Cos., currently has a portfolio of more than 22,000 apartments, as well as a commercial portfolio totaling some 7.5 million sf of space.