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Mayor Adams’ campaign is fined nearly $20K for campaign finance violations
By
Elizabeth Kim
Published May 15, 2023
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Photo by Benny Polatseck/Mayoral Photography Office
By
Elizabeth Kim
Published May 15, 2023
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Mayor Eric Adams is being fined $19,600 for campaign finance violations, related to spending during the transition period between winning the election in November 2021 and taking office two months later.
The city’s Campaign Finance Board voted Monday morning on a resolution to issue the fines, Timothy Hunter, a spokesperson with the board, told Gothamist.
According to a memo from the board, the bulk of the fines — $14,000 — stems from the campaign’s failure to provide the board with requested documentation on its spending.
Adams’ campaign finance fines were not a surprise. They have loomed over Adams over the last two months, and the board had sent Adams numerous letters asking for more information on campaign expenses.
Other violations include accepting prohibited donations and failing to close out his transition and inaugural committee by the April deadline. The board also found expenses, including two for Google, that were made after a January deadline.
Adams raised nearly $2 million for his transition and inaugural committee. New York City has strict rules on who can donate to such committees to avoid impropriety or the appearance of impropriety for an incoming elected official.
Unlike the prior meeting when the fines were discussed, the Adams campaign did not send a representative to contest the decision.
Evan Thies, a campaign spokesperson, sought to downplay the fines as a failure by the campaign to respond on time. “Out of more than $2 million raised from nearly a thousand New Yorkers, a handful of contributions were flagged, which the inauguration committee returned,” he said in a statement to Gothamist. “The campaign also returned more than $800,000 it raised that it did not need to spend. These fines are essentially just late fees for responding appropriately to the campaign finance board.”
This story has been updated with a comment from Adams’ campaign spokesperson.
Tagged
new york city
Politics
eric adams
Elizabeth Kim
Elizabeth Kim is a reporter on the People and Power desk who covers mayoral power. She previously covered the pandemic, housing, redevelopment and public spaces. A native of Queens, she speaks fluent Mandarin. Got a tip? Email [email protected]
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