Andrew Cuomo was fined $622,056 for breaching campaign finance rules by coordinating with the super PAC Fix the City. The city’s Campaign Finance Board withheld matching funds during the continued investigation. A controversial page on Cuomo's campaign website led to accusations of red-boxing, where strategic information is shared with super PACs. Red-boxing, while legal federally, violates local rules intended to limit campaign coordination. The board aims to ensure that elections are decided by voters rather than large contributions, and Cuomo's campaign plans to contest the fine.
The city’s Campaign Finance Board announced its decision to withhold the funds, pending the outcome of its investigation, at a hearing Monday where Cuomo was also awarded $1.5 million in public matching funds.
CFB rules state that the board may determine an expenditure was not independent if the entity making the expenditure utilized strategic information or data that has been made publicly available by the candidate.
He said red-boxing undercuts New York City’s strict spending and coordination limits which are in place to ensure voters, not big money, decide elections.
Cuomo spokesperson Rich Azzopardi indicated the campaign would challenge the board’s fine, claiming the campaign has operated in full compliance with the campaign finance laws.
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