Mayor Eric Adams denied public matching funds for reelection bid — for now

Taxpayers will not be footing the bill for Mayor Eric Adams' 2025 campaign — at least not yet.

The five-member New York City Campaign Finance Board announced on Monday that it was withholding public matching money from Adams’ reelection campaign, citing his ongoing criminal indictment and his campaign’s failure to adhere to the program’s rules.

“ After thoroughly reviewing all available information including the details of the indictment of Mayor Adams, the board has determined that there is reason to believe the Adams campaign has engaged in conduct detrimental to the matching funds program in violation of law, including the Campaign Finance Act and board rules," Frederick Schaffer, the board’s chair, read from a prepared statement.

The decision is a major setback for Adams’ reelection effort and comes just a day after the sudden resignation of his top adviser and close confidant, Ingrid Lewis-Martin. But it’s not the most severe action the Campaign Finance Board could have taken. The board stopped short of prohibiting Adams from receiving funds at a later date.

While the mayor battles federal corruption charges and his administration sheds senior officials, at least one of his opponents will be able to bolster his campaign war chest with an infusion of public matching funds. For now, the mayor is unable to access those funds.

"While today’s ruling by [the Campaign Finance Board] to withhold matching funds at this time is disappointing, we will continue to work with the board to address any issues so that funds can be appropriately disbursed," said Vito Pitta, counsel for Adams' 2025 campaign. "The mayor’s campaign continues to have far more resources than his opponents’, and we are very confident we will have the support we need to spend the maximum amount allowable in the upcoming primary.”

Under the city’s campaign finance program, candidates are encouraged to seek small-dollar donations from city residents that can be matched 8-to-1 for the first $250 in a mayoral race. When Adams was elected in 2021, taxpayer cash infusions roughly doubled his campaign account.

The mayor’s fundraising has come under increasing scrutiny for more than a year. In July 2023, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg charged six people connected to Adams’ campaign in a straw donor scheme. Neither Adams nor anyone from his administration was charged in connection with that scheme.

But the pressure continued to mount. Last November, the FBI raided the home of his chief fundraiser, Brianna Suggs, and seized Adams’ electronic devices shortly thereafter. A string of senior administration officials also faced phone seizures and home searches earlier this year.

Then at the end of September, federal prosecutors indicted Adams on five counts, including soliciting and accepting illegal foreign donations and trading official favors for luxury travel perks and upgrades. Adams has pleaded not guilty, and a trial is scheduled for April. Following his indictment, several high-profile officials departed his administration, most recently Lewis-Martin.

While prosecutors have been inquiring about Adams’ fundraising, the Campaign Finance Board has sought more information from his campaign. In July, a draft audit of his 2021 campaign fundraising found $2.3 million in undocumented expenses. That audit process is still ongoing.

“ His campaign also failed to provide documents and information requested by the Board. Accordingly, Mayor Adams campaign for reelection has failed to demonstrate eligibility for public funds payment at this time,” Schaffer said on Monday.

At his weekly City Hall press conference, Adams sought to downplay the rejection. Although he said he would seek to qualify in future rounds, he added that he believed he could win without additional matching funds. "

We're going to work with the CFB and make sure that whatever answers or question they have that we answer it," Adams said. "But you know, no one can outwork me. I'm in control of that."

Amid a crowded field of primary challengers, only one has qualified for matching funds so far. Former New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer was one of two candidates to meet the minimum requirements for eligibility in the first round. Candidates needed to raise at least $250,000 from 1,000 donors by a deadline last month, but those who didn’t can try again next month. Stringer received just over $2 million in matching funds on Monday.

The other candidate who reached the threshold was New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, but his campaign failed to file required paperwork by last month’s deadline, making him ineligible for the first payment. The news was first reported by Politico last week.

Stringer said his strong support from donors was a sign that voters were looking for an alternative to Adams.

“More than anything, New York City needs a reformer to break down roadblocks, fix things and get the government working again for all the people in this city,” Stringer said in a statement. “New Yorkers are supporting me because they know I am that guy.”

A spokesperson for Lander said his campaign had already cleared up the paperwork issue and had received a letter from the Campaign Finance Board confirming they would receive a public funds payment in January.

In 2021, Adams spent nearly $20 million on his mayoral bid, including $10 million in matching funds.

Correction: This story previously misstated the amount of matching funds received by Scott Stringer.

Update: This story has been updated to include comments from Vito Pitta and Eric Adams.