New York City Mayor Eric Adams has formally requested that the Campaign Finance Board (CFB) reconsider its recent decision to deny his 2025 reelection campaign access to public matching funds. The petition challenges the board’s ruling and argues that the campaign remains eligible under the city’s campaign finance regulations.
The CFB’s notification of nonpayment informed the campaign of a five-business-day window to submit a petition for reconsideration. This follows the board’s review of various legal matters, including Adams’ past fundraising activities and the campaign’s failure to respond to document requests made in 2024.
The petition from the Adams campaign responds directly to the CFB’s April 15 letter, which was made public. In that letter, the board outlined several reasons for denying matching funds, one of which was the federal indictment of Adams in September 2024, accusing him of orchestrating a scheme involving straw donors tied to his 2021 campaign. Although the charges were dropped in April 2025, the board remained concerned about potential fraudulent activity involving campaign associates.
The CFB also noted that two individuals connected to Adams’ 2021 campaign—Mohamed Bahi and Erden Arkan—pleaded guilty to charges of illegal contributions and wire fraud. Bahi, who served as Adams’ Muslim Liaison in the Mayor’s Office, was specifically mentioned in a letter from former U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon in February 2025, which alerted federal judges about Bahi’s guilty plea and raised additional concerns for the board.
Moreover, the CFB highlighted the Adams campaign’s failure to comply with a formal document request sent in November 2024. The campaign’s legal team opted not to submit the requested documents, citing ongoing legal issues. The CFB contended that this lack of cooperation affected the campaign’s eligibility.
Although the petition has reopened the matter, a new decision from the CFB has yet to be made. If the petition is denied, Adams’ campaign may pursue additional legal avenues under Article 78 of the Civil Practice Law and Rules.
The outcome of this situation could determine whether Adams’ campaign receives millions in public funding as it enters a highly competitive reelection race.
