The New York City Campaign Finance Board has once again denied millions of dollars in matching funds to Mayor Eric Adams’ struggling efforts to keep his job.
It is part of a long standoff between the mayor and the board that relates to his corruption indictment and allegations of improper contributions from straw donors and foreign governments.
Even though the indictment against Adams was dropped, the board denied him the funds for the 10th time.
“The board determined Mayor Adams’ campaign has failed to demonstrate eligibility for public funds payments at this time on two grounds. One, failure to provide requested information and, two, reason to believe the campaign has violated the law,” said Frederick Schaffer, chair of the Campaign Finance Board.
A major setback to Adams’ reelection hopes
It was a stunning blow to Adams’ attempt to stay in Gracie Mansion. The campaign board’s decision to withhold millions in matching funds will make it difficult for Adams to even the playing field in his uphill battle to run as an independent against Queens Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, the winner of the Democratic primary, and a crowded field that also includes former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa.
“The board’s investigation of the Adams campaign is ongoing. As stewards of taxpayer dollars, we are committed to enforcing the rules fairly and equally to all candidates,” Schaffer said.
The Adams campaign was livid, saying the ruling “raises serious questions about fairness, timing and selective enforcement” and “We are reviewing all legal options, including formal action to compel the release of public matching funds.”
Mamdani received nearly $1.7 million, Sliwa got $1.9 million, and independent candidate James Walden got $237,000. Cuomo, who is also running as an independent, did not receive funds because he didn’t decide to actively campaign until after the filing deadline.
Adams attacks Mamdani’s public safety policies
The Campaign Finance Board’s actions came as Adams took issue with Mamdani’s public safety policies, specifically his insistence of limiting NYPD functions and having social workers respond to domestic violence and other calls.
Mamdani told law enforcement officials at a National Night Out event that his plan, “enables officers to focus on serious crimes and creates a Department of Community Safety that focuses on mental health, on homelessness, on so much that we have tasked our officers with which has made it more difficult for them.”
Adams dismissed Mamdani’s plan, using as an example the 2022 killings of NYPD officers Wilbert Mora and Jason Rivera.
“It’s terrible idea. People tend to believe that responding to domestic violence cases are routine cases. It sounds nice. Just domestic violence. It’s one of the most dangerous jobs that a police officer could respond to. Officers Mora and Rivera were assassinated responding to a domestic violence case,” Adams said.
However, Mamdani’s campaign didn’t take the mayor’s attack lying down. A spokesperson pointed out that Adams slashed $3 million from a program for victims of domestic violence, while Mamdani’s Department of Community Safety will allocate $40 million for victim’s services.
It would also make it easier for police officers to “actually do the essential jobs of stopping crime,” the spokesperson said.
More from CBS News