Mayor Adams Sues Campaign Finance Board Over $3.4M In Denied Funds: Report

NEW YORK CITY — Mayor Eric Adams is suing the New York City Campaign Finance Board over its decision to deny him more than $3.4 million in public matching funds.

In a complaint filed on Tuesday in state Supreme Court in Brooklyn, the mayor's legal team argued that the board shouldn't withhold funds to Adams due to them relying on a federal criminal indictment that has been dismissed.

The lawsuit was first reported by Politico New York.

A spokesperson for the mayor said the board has “created unfair obstacles."

The finance board has previously said that they believe Adams engaged in “conduct detrimental” to the program. The board has denied Adams’ request for matching funds four times, dating back to last year.

The federal indictment against Adams accused him of setting up illegal straw donations to his 2021 mayoral campaign. The mayor also was accused of receiving benefits and perks from Turkish officials, including free and discounted airline tickets and hotel accommodations.

“This case is about protecting the integrity of the electoral process and ensuring that all candidates can compete on a level playing field without facing arbitrary restrictions,” the spokesperson told the New York Post.

The CFB in previous statement has said it has denied funds over the campaign’s failure to respond to information requests and Adams’ failure to file a timely financial disclosure form, according to Gothamist.

This is a developing story. This post may be updated.