New York City’s campaign finance board has denied public funding to Mayor Eric Adams’ re-election bid, citing his campaign’s failure to provide detailed explanations about its fundraising tactics. The decision comes after a post-election audit found that the campaign ignored auditors’ demands for information about 150 events that appeared to be free fundraisers paid for by unknown individuals.
In response to the board’s questions, Adams’ attorney confirmed that the campaign had declined to answer some of the inquiries because doing so might implicate the mayor in his upcoming federal trial on campaign finance fraud. The audit found evidence of undocumented suspected in-kind contributions, including a $54,000 event sponsored by Lian Wu Shao, owner of the New World Mall, which raised money from 231 small donations.
Adams’ track record of non-compliance with campaign finance rules is longstanding, and prosecutors have alleged that he solicited and accepted illegal “straw donations” in both his 2021 and 2025 campaigns. The board’s decision to deny public funding is a setback for Adams, who had submitted claims for $4.3 million in matching funds.
Source: https://www.thecity.nyc/2024/12/17/eric-adams-auditors-ahead-campaign-cash-denial