On Tuesday, May 27th, New York City Mayor Eric Adams filed a lawsuit against the city’s Campaign Finance Board (CFB), seeking to overturn the denial of $3.4 million in public matching funds for his reelection campaign. The suit, submitted to the New York State Supreme Court in Brooklyn, challenges the board’s decision, which was primarily based on a now-dismissed federal indictment against Adams.
The CFB initially withheld the matching funds in December, citing Adams’ five-count bribery indictment and the campaign’s failure to comply with information requests. The board also pointed to Adams’ late submission of a financial disclosure form required by the city’s Conflicts of Interest Board. However, Adams’ legal team argues that the campaign has since provided the requested documentation and that the board’s reliance on the indictment is unjustified.
“An indictment is not a conviction; a politically-driven indictment that has been dismissed and for which there is no corroborating evidence is worth nothing at all,” attorney Robert Spolzino wrote in the complaint. He described the CFB’s actions as “arbitrary, capricious, violative of lawful procedure, and erroneous as a matter of law.” The complaint emphasizes that the board’s decision lacks factual support beyond the indictment, which was dismissed earlier this year after intervention by the U.S. Department of Justice.
The lawsuit highlights that the board’s refusal to release funds has hindered Adams’ ability to mount a competitive reelection campaign as an independent candidate. Frank Carone, Adams’ former chief of staff and campaign chair, criticized the CFB’s approach, stating, “After months of cooperation, it became clear that the CFB is intent on indirectly disenfranchising thousands of everyday New Yorkers who donated to Mayor Adams because his leadership has improved their lives.”
The lawsuit names three donors who claim to have been disenfranchised by the board’s decision. One plaintiff, longtime fundraiser Marietta Rozental, has ties to Azerbaijani community groups in Brooklyn. The complaint notes her historical association with Adams during his tenure as Brooklyn borough president.
The CFB has declined to comment on the pending litigation but is expected to revisit Adams’ eligibility for matching funds in July. The board’s matching program is designed to amplify small contributions with taxpayer dollars while imposing spending limits to reduce the influence of large donors in local elections.
As the legal battle continues, Adams’ campaign argues the board’s actions undermine both his candidacy and the rights of his supporters, pressing the court to mandate the release of funds to enable a fair electoral contest.
