Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s mayoral campaign experienced both progress and challenge today, as the New York City Campaign Finance Board approved $1.5 million in public matching funds. The disbursement came after the resolution of clerical errors that had delayed the payment during the previous month. However, the CFB withheld an additional $622,000 amidst allegations of “improper coordination” with the pro-Cuomo super PAC 'Fix the City,' as reported by New York Daily News.
The controversy at the center of the CFB’s decision stems from last Sunday’s advertisement by 'Fix the City,' which the board suspects was crafted with input from Cuomo's campaign. This potential coordination would violate campaign finance rules that insist on a strict divide between candidates and the super PACs that support them. Richard Davis, a CFB member, said that the withheld funds match the sum spent on the advertising in question, which the board believes was not "independent of the campaign." Davis noted that "expenditures made in coordination with a campaign are considered in-kind contributions," undercutting the city’s contribution limits and spending rules, as observed by AM New York Metro.
CFB's scrutiny follows reports which suggested Cuomo's campaign had engaged in "redboxing"—an act of disseminating strategic information in the public domain that PACs could exploit. The CFB noted this practice occurred through a page on Cuomo's campaign website, an allegation brought into light by state Sen. Zellnor Myrie, who's also vying for the mayoralty. Cuomo's campaign has since taken the contentious webpage down. Cuomo's spokesperson, Rich Azzopardi, insisted that the campaign's actions are in full compliance with campaign finance law and rules, a sentiment shared with New York Daily News.
Myrie criticized the former governor in light of the decision by the CFB, claiming it affirmed that "Andrew Cuomo is for sale." He highlighted the raising of millions by 'Fix the City' through donations from wealthy financial and real estate bigwigs. "New Yorkers need a leader who defends democracy and fights for working people — not one who sells power to the highest bidder," Myrie told AM New York Metro.
Despite the setback, Azzopardi confirmed the Cuomo campaign still managed to secure a total of $3.5 million in private funds, combined with the newly acquired public matching funds, summing up to a notable $5 million. As the investigation progresses, the CFB said that they will "continue to evaluate the issue of improper coordination," according to remarks made to New York Daily News.
