New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (D), currently a frontrunner for the Democratic nomination in New York City’s mayoral race, has lost over $600,000 in public matching funds due to allegations of illegal coordination with a super PAC.
This decision from the New York City Campaign Finance Committee followed an initial inquiry into complaints from Senator Zellner Miley (D), one of Cuomo’s challengers, regarding accusations that Cuomo’s campaign had utilized a method known as “red boxing.”
Red boxing allows a campaign to indirectly communicate with a super PAC by posting certain messages, thereby suggesting what the super PAC should convey in their advertisements, despite the rules against direct coordination.
Last week, an advertisement from a pro-Cuomo super PAC and details from Cuomo’s campaign showed similarities in messaging about key issues they both highlighted on their websites.
“These statements serve no clear purpose other than to guide potential independent spending efforts,” noted the committee’s letter.
The board cautioned the campaign for posting content on Cuomo’s website before ultimately suspending the campaign’s access to funds.
During a public meeting, the board revealed its decision to approve a public matching fund still amounting to approximately $1.5 million for Cuomo’s campaign, but it chose to withhold $622,056 from that total, reflecting the city’s expenditure on advertising.
The board stated that it found reason to rectify the city’s $622,056 advertising spending on May 4, 2025, due to its lack of independence from Cuomo’s campaign.
Regulations allow the board to consider non-independent expenditures as dependent if candidates utilize “strategic information or data” in ways that should be clear to them.
Cuomo’s campaign spokesperson, Rich Azzopardi, asserted that they fully complied with campaign finance laws, mentioning that their legal team vetted all content before it was posted. He further pointed out that other candidates also shared similar information online.
“We anticipate responding to the Board’s preliminary ruling and clarifying our position regarding the matching funds,” he stated.
Despite this setback, Azzopardi emphasized the campaign’s ongoing momentum, downplaying concerns about the lost funds from Monday.
“Our campaign’s momentum remains strong. Up until now, we’ve raised over $1.5 million, surpassing $3.5 million in just 71 days, enjoying wide support across all voter demographics,” he mentioned.
The super PAC involved claimed it operated independently, emphasizing that its ad creation adhered strictly to legal requirements without influence from external entities. Bill Knapp, who develops the ads, stated he relied solely on publicly accessible information about Cuomo and his policies.
Miley responded to the ruling, suggesting it portrays Cuomo as “for sale.” He remarked, “While Donald Trump works to undermine democracy nationally, Cuomo and his wealthy backers are attempting to manipulate city hall. New Yorkers deserve leaders who prioritize democracy and advocate for workers, not those who peddle power to the highest bidder.”
Cuomo has consistently led in polls for the upcoming Democratic primary next month.
