Hillary Clinton to attend fundraiser at home of murdered former Gambino boss
The Democratic hopeful will attend a fundraiser being held in her honor Wednesday at slain mob boss Paul Castellano's former Staten Island home, which the FBI had bugged in the 80s before the then-head of the Gambino crime family was gunned down.
The private shindig at the sprawling 15,000-square-foot mansion in tony Todt Hill is being put on by the home's new owner Sal Rusi and features a photo reception for about 100 invited guests, the host told the Daily News.
"She's helped a lot in the Albanian community," Rusi, 59, said. "My parents thought we had to do something, and I did it. I'm happy to help her and the community."
The $2,700-per-person soiree at 177 Benedict Rd. was first reported by the Staten Island Advance.
This is Staten Island's "White House," the former home of late mobster Paul Castellano. New owner Sal Rusi will be hosting a Hillary Clinton fundraiser there Wednesday night.
Clinton's camp was criticized for agreeing to have the venue where a kingpin of American organized crime once lived.
They "don't know anything about New York, let alone Staten Island," a source told the newspaper.
But Rusi, a registered Republican, said it's the perfect place for her to make her debut on Staten Island.
"It's my house. It's not his. He's not around," Rusi said. "There's nothing weird about throwing a party in my house."
The party is expected to start about 6:30 p.m. It was described in an invitation as a "great opportunity" for guests to hear from her in a "small, in-home setting."
Paul Castellano was executed in front of a midtown steak house by four gunmen in a brazen mob hit in 1985.
Rusi — who owns New York City-based contracting company Benjamin Maintenance — bought the notorious home in 2000 for $3.1 million, public records show.
The FBI had planted a microphone in the Castellano's kitchen in 1983 to capture evidence which led to eight criminal trials, two agents describe in tell-all book "Boss of Bosses: The Fall of the Godfather — The FBI and Paul Castellano."
It's unclear where in the mansion the fundraiser will be held.
The site is worth $2,640,000, records show.
Castellano was executed in front of a midtown steak house by four gunmen in a brazen mob hit in 1985.
Clinton’s camp did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/hillary-clinton-attend-fundraiser-late-mob-boss-home-article-1.2362715
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