NYC Campaign Finance Board Releases $500K to Cuomo Amid Super PAC Coordination Inquiry

Former Governor Andrew Cuomo's mayoral campaign in New York City has reclaimed over $540,000 in matching funds previously withheld by the city's Campaign Finance Board (CFB) amid ongoing investigations into alleged illegal coordination with the super PAC 'Fix the City.' The CFB initially withheld nearly $1.3 million due to concerns about coordination related to a $757,000 TV advertisement funded by the PAC, which has raised an unprecedented $10.7 million in support of Cuomo. Many of Fix the City's donors include billionaires and companies doing or seeking business with New York City, who are prohibited from contributing more than $400 directly to candidates but have donated millions to the super PAC, raising questions about campaign finance compliance. Although Cuomo's campaign denies wrongdoing and no direct evidence has been found that it directed donors to the PAC, the situation highlights the challenges of enforcement given that independent expenditure committees can accept unlimited contributions. Real estate developers and business interests on the city's 'doing business' list have contributed significant sums to Fix the City, attempting to circumvent donation limits imposed on direct candidate contributions. The investigation into coordination and campaign finance violations continues as Cuomo's campaign faces scrutiny over its relationship with the super PAC backing it.