Roger Ailes withdraws $500K senior center donation after outcry
A Tax Watch investigation was published just before plans for the Roger Ailes Senior Center were tabled.
- The Putnam County Legislature was prepared Tuesday to approve the Roger Ailes Senior Center
- A Tax Watch investigation revealed the questionable deal, required for Ailes' $500k gift
- Ailes' nonprofit would hire local contractors without public bid for the $1.5 million project
- Ailes would deliver the project with no warranty on the work
A day after a Tax Watch investigation raised questions about Fox News CEO Roger Ailes’ role in construction of a Putnam County senior center, the deposed media mogul has withdrawn his $500,000 donation to the county.
The announcement was made in the Putnam County News & Recorder, the weekly news outlet led by his wife, Elizabeth Ailes, its publisher.
"Mr. and Mrs. Ailes said the government approvals to make the senior center in Philipstown a reality took longer than World War II," the paper reported. "They indicated several charities had reached out to them about the half million dollars.
"The family said they hoped to help the senior citizens of Philipstown but is clear for political reasons their funding is not welcome. Therefore they are withdrawing the money, cancelling the contribution agreement and assigning the money to another one of their charities who can put it to use immediately."
PCN&R Editor Doug Cunningham said he didn't know which charities would receive the Ailes donation.
The Wednesday morning announcement came after the Putnam County Legislature tabled legislation that would have accepted the donation and put Ailes in control of the $1.5 million public project. The all-Republican Legislature heard from a long line of Philipstown and Putnam County residents, who told the lawmakers they didn’t want the former Fox News executive's name on the facility, despite his pledge of $500,000 to help build it.
Ailes, who lives in Garrison, was booted from Fox News in July following a high-profile sexual harassment lawsuit was filed against him. Several more women have since stepped forward to allege sexual harassment by Ailes.
“This project has never passed the smell test,” said Cold Spring resident Kathleen Foley, who spearheaded a petition campaign by Putnam County Taxpayers for Transparency and Integrity. “He’s a bully and morally bankrupt sexual predator.”
ROGER AILES DEAL: Tax Watch: Ailes deal shrouded in secrecy
ANGERED: Residents angered at Ailes senior center after allegations
The Tax Watch investigation revealed how Ailes’ nonprofit organization would have served as the project’s general contractor, hiring its construction manager and subcontractors from Putnam County without public bidding. Tradesmen would not have been required to be paid the state-mandated prevailing wage. And Ailes was to deliver the project to Putnam County with no warranty, and no obligation to pay subcontractors who disputed what they’d been paid.
Putnam County had refused to release the agreement under the state's Freedom of Information Law.
State Assemblywoman Sandy Galef, D-Ossining, told the Legislature Tuesday night that from what she’d read, the county should not count on $500,000 in grants through the state Dormitory Authority for the project as it was currently structured.
Galef had been prepared to submit a request from County Executive MaryEllen Odell for $250,000 in state aid. State Sen. Sue Serino, R-Hyde Park, had a similar proposal delivered to the Dormitory Authority on Friday, which made no mention of Ailes’ role in the unconventional deal.
“I’m concerned now, the more we learn about the contract,” Galef said Tuesday. “I’m not sure what the Dormitory Authority will say or do.”
The column also disclosed – unbeknownst to the Legislature – that the project’s cost had almost doubled in a year to $1.5 million.
In addition, to other terms, the county would have paid rent and property taxes estimated at $157,000 a year for a 6,000-square-foot facility with five bathrooms. About 20 Philipstown residents come to lunch daily at the county program, now located in the American Legion hall.
By the end of the hour-long discussion Tuesday, Legislator Carl Albano, R-Carmel, who had promoted the Roger Ailes Senior Center as chairman of the Physical Services Committee, said it was time to rethink the entire project, which had been slated to be part of developer Paul Guillaro’s mixed-use Butterfield complex on Route 9D.
He suggested the county seek to buy a building instead of renting from Guillaro.
“I’d be in favor of purchasing a place,” said Albano.
County Executive MaryEllen Odell, who hasn’t returned phone messages regarding the Ailes project for several weeks, did not return another call Wednesday morning.
Stay tuned for my full Tax Watch column.