Mayor Eric Adams was denied public matching funds for his re-election campaign, again, on Wednesday as his chances to tap into potentially millions of dollars are dwindling before the general election.
The independent Campaign Finance Board approved $1,682,037 for Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic primary winner, and $1,910,530 for Curtis Sliwa, the Republican candidate. It also awarded $237,344 to Jim Walden, another independent candidate.
But the CFB continued to block Adams’ attempts at accessing the city’s generous 8-to-1 matching funds program, as it has since December. The board has cited both his now-abandoned federal indictment as well as his campaign’s refusal to respond properly to questions about hundreds of suspect donations.
The board determined Mayor Adams’s campaign showed a “failure to provide requested information and reason to believe the campaign has violated the law,” according to board chair Fred Schaffer.
The campaign also provided “incomplete and misleading information to the CFB and has impeded the CFB staff’s ability to complete its investigation.”
“The board’s investigation of the Adams campaign is ongoing,” Schaffer added. “As stewards of taxpayer dollars we’re committed to enforcing the rules fairly and equally to all candidates.”
A spokesperson for the campaign, Todd Shapiro, said in a statement “We disagree with the Campaign Finance Board’s decision and reject both the tone and substance of its statement.” They were reviewing their legal options, he said.
Former Governor Andrew Cuomo, who is also running as an independent, also wasn’t awarded any public dollars. A board official told THE CITY the former governor did not fill out the necessary paperwork needed for running.
Rich Azzopardi, a spokesperson, said the campaign wasn’t actively fundraising during the most recent time period and didn’t put in for matching funds.
Last month, THE CITY reported on suspicious donations submitted to the mayor’s re-election campaign — coming weeks after a federal judge dismissed his campaign finance fraud case following a request from the Trump administration.
Campaigns enrolled in the CFB’s program can seek matching funds of $8 for every $1 contributed by a New York City resident, up to $250.
Donations from nonresidents and people doing business with the city government do not qualify for the match.
Adams has insisted he didn’t know anything about improper contributions to his campaign and, after his indictment was dismissed in April, he blamed unnamed aides. In June, he filed a lawsuit against the CFB arguing they had no reason to deny him funds since his federal corruption case was dropped.
The board said that they were acting appropriately because of his campaign’s continued failure to adequately share requested information and documentation.
A federal judge tossed that case last month, ruling in favor of the CFB.