At this point, are we even shocked?
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, a presidential open in a new window for 2020, was criticized by an ethics watchdog. Hopefully, to create a “shell game” and accept tens of thousands of dollars in excessive campaign contributions from rich donors.
A non-partisan organization, the Campaign Legal Center requested the Federal Election Commission to explore the campaign by de Blasio, “which left voters in the dark about the extent and sources of the candidate’s support.”
Individuals are unable to donate more than $2,800 to a presidential candidate in 2020 ; however, the CLC claimed that de Blasio had circumvented the donation threshold because at least 25 donors who gave his campaign the legal maximum also gave an extra $5,000 to a federal committee, Fairness PAC, and a state committee, NY Fairness Pac, as he started exploring a presidential run.
“We’re reviewing the complaint now,” Olivia Lapeyrolerie, a de Blasio campaign spokesperson said.
Before de Blasio formally announced his candidacy, the PAC used the money to pay for staff, polling and travel to early primary states. His campaign asserted in the past that it was not an official exploratory committee subject to FEC constraints because the state APC originally helped support campaigns in the New York Senate.
De Blasio trails most of his competitors in both financing and polling in a crowded field of Democrats. He has not yet qualified for the discussion on the presidency.
