The city Campaign Finance Board says it’s watching all candidates for improper coordination with outside groups following a letter from public advocate hopeful Mark Green that was widely seen as a jab at rival Bill de Blasio and the Working Families Party.
The board “is committed to ensuring that the law with respect to non-independent expenditures is enforced vigorously and consistently,” board officials wrote in an advisory opinion last week.
The document laid out how it looks at “coordination,” or when a campaign gets support from an outside group that it doesn’t pay or account for.
“Non-independent expenditures pose a serious threat to New York City’s Campaign Finance Program.”
Green campaign lawyer Jerry Goldfeder wrote to the board about “ambiguity” in the law, after years of complaints that unions and other groups give candidates unfair advantages.
The letter was widely seen as a jab at de Blasio and the WFP, the labor-backed group that has its own ballot line, which the Brooklyn councilman is credited with helping create.
The WFP, which has a highly coveted ballot line and has become a major force in city politics is backing a string of candidates this year, including Councilman John Liu for City Comptroller. But de Blasio’s PA run is one of its premiere races.
De Blasio and party members have used his campaign’s Facebook page to advertise events being held at the party’s space at 2 Nevins St. on his behalf.
A lengthy message on de Blasio’s page from party worker Peter Kim sought RSVPs, inviting people to convene at the group’s Brooklyn headquarters for ballot petitioning.
The campaign also sent an e-mail to followers inviting them to the same June 9 “kickoff” event for his Brooklyn petition drive, held at the headquarters. That invitation didn’t specify which ballot line the event was for.
Citizens Union head Dick Dadey said the Facebook page use “does raise questions,” but added the WFP has “mastered” giving “significant” support to candidates without technically violating board rules.
Laurence Laufer, a former board counsel and de Blasio campaign lawyer, strenuously denied any coordination.
The campaign rented the space from the WFP, and that rentals are covered under a contract the campaign has with Data and Field Services, Laufer said, adding the agreement is for an array of services. The firm is a for-profit campaign-services company affiliated with the WFP, and the de Blasio campaign made a July 2, 2009 payment to the firm of just over $10,000 for “consulting,” campaign finance filings show.
Team Blasio wrote its own letter to the board seconding Green’s request, and said the board’s advisory opinion broke no new ground, Laufer said. He added it merely reiterated existing criteria.
Working Families Executive Director Dan Cantor said, “We’re letting our members and voters know about Bill’s campaign to bring new energy and independent leadership to the public advocate’s post, within the rules set out by the CFB.”
The CFB has in the past fined campaigns for improper coordination, including Annabelle Palma’s City Council run for support she received from the powerful SEIU 1199. Most recently, Freddy Ferrer’s failed run against Mayor Bloomberg in 2005 was fined for improper coordination with outside groups.
Meanwhile, de Blasio on his 2006 city Conflicts of Interest Board disclosure form listed a payment of between $5,000 and $34,999 from the Progressive America Fund, a 501(c)(3) that shares that Nevins Street office space and overlapping board members with the WFP.
Aides to de Blasio said that the fee was for consulting on election-reform issues and he got clearance from the conflicts board to make sure there was no issue.