By DAVID SEIFMAN
Posted: 3:33 am
July 18, 2008
Rep. Anthony Weiner, a mayoral candidate pushing a bill that would make it easier for foreign models to enter the United States, has collected more than $7,000 in campaign contributions from the modeling industry, records show.
Weiner's campaign filing, made available yesterday, shows he collected at least $7,125 from 14 individuals associated with the modeling business between Jan. 12 and July 11.
The largest single contribution was $1,500 from Cory Bautista of NY Models in Los Angeles.
Weiner made headlines last month when it was reported he's sponsoring a bill in Congress that would open up to 1,000 more hard-to-get H-1B visas for models. Most such permits now go to doctors, computer geeks and other highly skilled professionals.
Weiner (D-Queens/Brooklyn) argued that New York is the fashion capital of the nation and that the industry here needs to be competitive with rival cities around the world.
He is leading the Democratic pack in fund-raising, having hauled in $1.4 million in the last six months - more than double what either Council Speaker Christine Quinn or City Comptroller Bill Thompson has collected.
"The $7,000 he took from the modeling industry doesn't even represent 1 percent of his contributions," said a Weiner ally.
