The lobbyist who accompanied New York Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie on a trip to Brazil has seen his firm's earnings skyrocket since Heastie's rise to power, fueling questions about the payment for the trip. Peter Jenkins, a lobbyist and longtime friend of Heastie, has seen his firm's income increase dramatically since Heastie became Assembly speaker in 2015.
Jenkins' lobbying firm reported earnings of $5 million in 2025, a significant jump from the $238,000 his firm netted from five clients in 2013, according to data from the Joint Commission on Public Ethics. When Heastie ascended to the speakership in 2015, Jenkins' firm's earnings more than doubled to $872,830 from 20 clients. The firm's income continued to grow, surpassing $2 million within a year and reaching $5 million today.
Jenkins and Heastie recently traveled to Rio de Janeiro for a "Boys In Brazil Party" hosted by former NFL player Charles Haley. New York's public servants and lobbyists operate under strict rules regarding gifts, with exchanges generally limited to items of nominal value. The circumstances surrounding the payment for the Brazil trip remain unclear, as neither Heastie nor Jenkins have publicly disclosed who covered the costs.
When approached by The Post, Heastie deflected questions about the trip, with his staff quickly escorting him away after a planned tour of the Amityville Senior Center. Heastie later posted on Instagram, expressing frustration over media scrutiny of his personal trips and questioning the necessity of detailing private expenses.
"Because I post a picture on a birthday trip I have to tell a newspaper who paid for my personal trip? I find it comical actually," Heastie wrote in an Instagram comment. "Because you work for the government you don’t have to answer questions about your personal life."
However, Jenkins has previously acknowledged the business benefits derived from his relationship with Heastie. In a 2019 interview with Newsday, Jenkins stated, "I would be naïve if I thought that some people didn’t reach out as a result of knowing my relationship with the speaker." A spokesperson for Heastie at the time confirmed to the outlet that their friendship was well-known, noting, "It’s no secret they have been best friends since college."
The New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government allows for exceptions to gift rules for exchanges between politicians and friends, provided the relationship is not being exploited as a pretext for an impermissible gift. The lack of transparency regarding the Brazil trip payment has drawn scrutiny, particularly given the significant financial success Jenkins' firm has experienced since Heastie assumed his leadership role.