Common Cause/NY Announces New Times Sq. Billboard Urging City to Reject Public Funds for Cheating Candidates

NEW YORK, NY (05/27/2025) (readMedia)-- Today, Common Cause New York launched a new billboard in Times Square urging the New York City Campaign Finance Board (CFB) to halt all new matching funds for candidates Eric Adams and Andrew Cuomo over their repeated violations of the public financing system. Since December, the Board has withheld more than $4 million from the two candidates for their improper conduct, but is continuing to consider sending additional funds to both campaigns. The billboard will be on display at 1500 Broadway.

Watch the new billboard here.

"New Yorkers deserve to know that their hard earned tax dollars are not being misused. Every candidate who wants public money from the city has an obligation to abide by the rules, and both Adams and Cuomo have shown that they are unconcerned with doing so. Our message is crystal clear: no matter who you are, any candidate who breaks the law and engages in illegal conduct should not have their campaigns funded by taxpayers," said Susan Lerner, Executive Director of Common Cause New York.

Earlier this month, the CFB announced it was withholding $620,000 in public matching funds for Andrew Cuomo's 2025 Mayoral Campaign, citing his campaign's illegal coordination with the Fix the City super PAC. The Board is reportedly considering withholding an additional $675,000, after the Cuomo campaign disclosed more potential improper coordination with the super PAC supporting his campaign.

The CFB's decision follows its announcement in December 2024 that the Board would reject all matching funds for Mayor Eric Adams' 2025 Mayoral Campaign in response to his campaign's continued refusal to cooperate with auditors' request for accurate campaign records for over three years.

Background

Common Cause New York has previously urged the Board to deny funds to both Adams and Cuomo for their continued refusal to abide by New York City's campaign finance laws. In December, Common Cause/NY Executive Director Susan Lerner sent a letter to the Campaign Finance Board urging them to reject Adams' request for matching funds given his 2021 campaign's, "persistent and pervasive... disregard for numerous obligations and responsibilities under the Campaign Finance Law." Earlier this month, Lerner issued a statement urging the Board to "deny Cuomo – and any others who violate its coordination rules - all funds, as well as take advantage of all available enforcement actions."

New York City's public matching fund program allows candidates to receive an 8-to-1 match for any small-dollar contribution up to $250. The program sets a maximum amount that participating campaigns can spend on their race, and limits on how they can spend that money. Despite repeated efforts to audit his 2021 campaign, Adams has refused to cooperate with the CFB's request for accurate campaign records and information for over three years. The audit into his 2021 campaign covers information as basic as payroll records and bank statements, specifics of fundraising events, and inappropriate expenditures paid out.