New York Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie recently took a multiday birthday trip to Rio de Janeiro, where he attended a party hosted by former Dallas Cowboys linebacker Charles Haley. He was accompanied by Patrick Jenkins, an influential lobbyist and longtime ally whose business has significantly expanded as Heastie has risen through Albany's ranks.
Heastie, 59, posted images from the trip on Instagram, including photos from a Rio “Boys In Brazil Party” on September 25. Some images show Heastie with Jenkins, who represents numerous influential groups such as the New York Trial Lawyers Association, Sports Betting Alliance, and Google.
Online packages for similar international trips to Rio de Janeiro can range from approximately $3,000 to $4,299 per person, not including airfare. Neither Heastie nor Jenkins has publicly disclosed who paid for the trip.
New York State's ethics laws generally prohibit public servants and lobbyists from accepting gifts valued above a nominal amount, typically limited to $15, for individuals and entities that do business with the state. However, exceptions exist, including for gifts to personal friends, provided the relationship is not used as a pretext for an impermissible gift.
Government watchdog group Reinvent Albany has stated that ethics rules should be followed, especially given the apparent cost of such travel. The New York State Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government has not yet responded to requests for comment.
Heastie and Jenkins, who were college roommates at SUNY Stony Brook, have a long-standing relationship. Jenkins's lobbying firm experienced significant growth coinciding with Heastie's ascent in state government.
This trip follows a pattern of Heastie declining to comment on previous ethics-related questions, including those concerning a past romantic relationship with lobbyist Rebecca Lamorte.