Cuomo denied $600K in campaign funds over allegedly coordinating with super PAC

Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), the front-runner for the Democratic nomination in the New York City mayoral race, lost out on more than $600,000 in public matching funds over accusations that his campaign illegally coordinated with a super PAC. 

The ruling from the New York City Campaign Finance Board came after a complaint from one of Cuomo’s opponents, state Sen. Zellnor Myrie (D), and a preliminary investigation into the accusation that Cuomo’s campaign engaged in a practice known as “redboxing.” 

Campaigns are not allowed to coordinate with super PACs, but redboxing is a way for them to get around this by posting what messaging they want to get to voters, letting super PACs know what to have their ads say.

Myrie alleged last week that an ad from the pro-Cuomo super PAC Fix the City had used similar language and themes to the messaging Cuomo’s campaign included on its website on what it believes is important for voters to know about Cuomo. 

“These statements serve no discernible purpose except to direct potential independent expenditure efforts,” the letter states.

The board warned Cuomo's campaign after it posted the messaging on its website, and the campaign then took it down.

The board announced its decision at its public meeting Monday, still approving about $1.5 million in public matching funds to Cuomo’s campaign. But it decided to withhold $622,056 from that total, the amount Fix the City spent on the ad.

“Based on preliminary results of the board’s investigation, the board has reason to believe Fix the City’s $622,056 expenditure for an ad distributed on May 4, 2025, was not independent of the Cuomo campaign,” board member Richard Davis said reading a statement from the board. 

He cited the board’s rule that allows the body to consider an expenditure not independent if it uses “strategic information or data” made publicly available by the candidate “in a manner in which the candidate knew or should have known” would be used. 

Cuomo campaign spokesperson Rich Azzopardi said in a statement that it is in “full compliance” with campaign finance rules and its legal team approved every piece of content that was posted on its website in advance. He argued other candidates have posted similar information online. 

“We look forward to making that clear when we respond to the Board’s preliminary ruling and receiving the full matching funds to which the campaign is entitled,” he said. 

But Azzopardi also pointed to the campaign’s momentum and didn’t express much concern for the amount of money it didn’t receive Monday. 

“In the meantime our campaign's momentum continues unabated: today we receive $1.5 million on top of the over $3.5 million we have raised in 71 days and are gratified to have the broadest coalition of supporters, and lead in every poll with voters in every borough, gender, race and ethnicity,” he said. 

Fix the City said in a statement that it is “fully independent,” and its work has taken place lawfully and without any “insight or influence of any prohibited outside entities.” Bill Knapp, who made the ads for the organization and works for the strategic communications firm SKDK, said in a statement that he created the ads independently, only using publicly available information about Cuomo and his policy proposals.

Myrie said in a statement that the ruling shows that Cuomo is “for sale.” 

“While Donald Trump works to dismantle democracy on the national stage, Cuomo and his billionaire backers are trying to buy City Hall,” he said. “New Yorkers need a leader who defends democracy and fights for working people — not one who sells power to the highest bidder.” 

Cuomo has consistently been in the lead in polling for the Democratic primary, which takes place next month.