NEW YORK – A New York-based Orthodox Jewish man, Zev Baumgarten, co-owner of CBZ Management, has accused the City of Aurora of antisemitism in a new court filing amid an ongoing legal battle. Baumgarten, who is facing several code enforcement violation charges, claims that the city’s aggressive actions against him are motivated by his Jewish faith.
In the motion filed Thursday, Baumgarten denied ownership of the troubled properties, stating that he is merely “related to family members with controlling interests” in some of the buildings in question. He alleged that city officials, specifically Breezy Maynes, the supervisor of Aurora’s code enforcement officers, had been biased against him due to his Orthodox Jewish background. Baumgarten claims that when Maynes was asked why she was being so harsh, she allegedly responded, “Because you are an Orthodox Jew.”
The motion also reiterated CBZ’s argument that gang activity, rather than mismanagement, was to blame for the issues at the properties. Baumgarten further contended that the city’s actions were part of a broader pattern of targeting Jewish individuals and businesses.
The City of Aurora quickly responded, denying the allegations and emphasizing the extensive documentation of issues at CBZ-managed properties over the years. In a statement to Denver7, the city expressed that it had never before heard such accusations and found no merit in Baumgarten’s claims.
This legal clash comes as Baumgarten faces increasing scrutiny from both local authorities and the courts, including a recently issued arrest warrant after he failed to appear for a court date. CBZ Management declined to comment on the new filing, citing ongoing litigation.
As reported by VINnews