Reports: De Blasio Fundraising Being Investigated

Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan is investigating New York City Mayor de Blasio’s campaign fundraising activities.

This week, new details have emerged that indicate the broad scope of the investigation.

On Wednesday, the New York Times reported that investigators are looking at de Blasio’s efforts to raise campaign funds for the Democratic State Senate candidates in the 2014 elections.  Democrats were hoping to win enough seats to gain control of that chamber.

Today’s New York Times provides more details about the Mayor’s fundraising practices.  According to the Times, the Mayor’s people asked people who had made political contributions to him to make large donations to county Democratic committees, knowing that the contributions would be used to support Democratic State Senate candidates.  Under the New York State Election Law § 14-126(6), if contributions are made to party committee so that the funds can be used in support of a particular candidate (effectively circumventing the individual contribution limits) is a Class E felony. (Read more about contributions from people or organizations that had previously donated to Mayor de Blasio to county Democratic committees in this Politico New York article.)

Politico New York also reported today that the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District and Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance have subpoenaed New Yorkers for Clean Livable and Safe Streets (NYCLASS), an advocacy group seeking to ban horse-drawn carriages in New York City that on city streets that spent more than $1 million to get de Blasio elected mayor in in 2013.