NYC CFB to Meet; Plans to Take Up Violation of Independent Expenditure Rules (Updated)

The New York City Campaign Finance Board meets tomorrow at its Manhattan headquarters at 10 am.  The meeting agenda is here.

One agenda of particular interest is the following:

7. Staff Recommendations for Penalties — NYCLASS (Independent Spender)

NYCLASS is “New Yorkers for Clean Livable And Safe Streets,” a 501(c)(4) that supports animal protection laws, including elimination of horse-drawn carriages in the city.

The issue that CFB is expected to impose a penalty for has to do with “illegal coordination” by an independent spender.  As this Crain’s article explains, the group used a political consulting firm to make independent expenditures on its behalf, while the same firm worked directly for particular candidates who were the beneficiary of NYCLASS’s independent expenditures.

Update:  My speculation regarding NYCLASS was incorrect.  CFB imposed a $1,560 penalty against NYCLASS for “failure to use a ‘paid for’ notice for a phone bank.”