Common Cause/NY Statement on Campaign Finance Board Decision to Reject Matching Funds for Mayor Adams

NEW YORK, NY (12/16/2024) (readMedia)-- Today, the New York City Campaign Finance Board (CFB) rejected a request for public matching funds to Eric Adams' 2025 Mayoral Campaign, ending weeks of speculation as to whether or not his campaign would receive taxpayer money. In response, Common Cause Executive Director Susan Lerner issued the following statement praising the Board's decision:

"Candidates are not automatically entitled to public matching funds and the Board is obligated to protect taxpayer money so that campaigns do not abuse a privilege of civic life. While Adams is entitled to the presumption of innocence in a criminal court of law, his continued delays in cooperating with CFB auditors about how he spends taxpayer money and the conduct identified in his indictment demonstrates a failure to meet the necessarily high standard for public funding at this time. We applaud the Board's decision to reject campaign funds to Adams' campaign and urge the Board to refuse any future requests until he is cleared of wrongdoing."

Background

In September, federal prosecutors indicted Mayor Adams on charges of bribery and other campaign finance violations, alleging that he knowingly defrauded the city's generous campaign finance system of up to $10 million. Adams has denied the allegations and will likely stand trial in April.

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.

Last week, Common Cause New York Executive Director Susan Lerner authored an op-ed urging the Board to reject campaign matching funds to Mayor Adams' campaign. Lerner stated, "The fact is that the Adams campaign is far beyond the range of normal issues... it is completely unacceptable to take three years to resolve concerns from your last campaign and expect more money for the next one."

Earlier this month, Common Cause New York also 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."