Saturday, December 17, 2016

De Blasio campaign fined for financial shenanigans

From the Observer:

The city’s Campaign Finance Board slapped Mayor Bill de Blasio this afternoon with $47,778 in penalties for an array of violations connected with his 2013 campaign—including verboten post-election expenses, travel costs for his son and “makeup services” for his family.

His biggest fine was $21,159 for making impermissible post-election expenditures. In a summary of its final determination for the de Blasio, the board said that the campaign paid Hilltop Public Solutions $168,750 for post-election services, $116,250 of which they said are improper post-election expenses.

The mayor’s campaign said that Hilltop served as its general consultant and that it was qualified to oversee the initial post-election “winding down work” as well as the “final winding down” work—and cited the hiring of Bill Hyers as contributing to the firm’s “unique” qualifications. The campaign also said the firm was paid on an as-needed basis as opposed to a standard monthly retainer so the fees paid under contract are nominal.

Hyers is one of the five infamous “agents of the city” whose email correspondence with the administration de Blasio has refused to release—even in the face of lawsuits from the press.

But the board said that the campaign failed to provide ample documentation and explanations outlining the responsibilities, work product and other services Hilltop provided.

The next biggest fine was $12,483 for accepting over-the-limit contributions, followed by $6,086 for accepting contributions from corporations, limited liability companies or partnerships and $3,200 for failing to demonstrate compliance with intermediary reporting and documentation requirements.

He was also fined for $2,087 for failing to file/late filing of daily pre-election disclosure statements and $1,000 for accepting contributions from unregistered political committees.

Other smaller penalties were $407 for failing to report transactions, $300 for failing to document transactions and $250 for commingling with campaign funds accepted for a different election.

The mayor was also fined $806 for failing to demonstrate that spending was in furtherance of the campaign. In particular, the board notes $550 spent on makeup services for de Blasio and his family on Election Night, which his campaign descried as a legitimate expense because it was meant to prepare them for their scheduled televised public campaign appearances “at a likely victory celebration.” But the board stated that using campaign funds for “personal grooming” is prohibited.

9 comments:

Res Ipsa said...

These fines seem too low, given the scale of the misdeeds and the fact that this is not some rank and file employee, this is the mayor!

Anonymous said...

Can't wait until he is replaced with DeBlaz II, Jimmy the Library Boy, an alum from another paragon of financial virtue.

Anonymous said...

Good luck getting re elected!!!
Another "c" follows this guy...corruption!!

JQ LLC said...

This is only the beginning. Mayor De Faustio is going to reap what he sowed trying to have it both ways.

Mostly I am hoping to see these hipshit yuppie motherfuckers like Berlin Rosen, Offinger, wolfe and gold steering the wheeling and dealing in the name and rubric of helping the poor.

The BQX is dead.

Anonymous said...

Jail anyone?

Anonymous said...

don't worry JVB will not get in that is for sure --

Anonymous said...

Alas, impeachment is the only rememdy for this kind of willful arrogance, entitlement and flagrant abuses of power (that were never in his purview to exploit in the first place), that he and his dumbass, handpicked staff should face——because they ALL devalue honesty itself——to pathological effect!

Further, this arrogant, intensely incompetent empowered idiot should be treated with the same ruthless contempt (and demise) that was brutally visited on that poor deer, Lefty, on Thursday, December 15th——and then, grounded up in the woodchipper and dumped in the Gowanus Canal!

How sad that Lefty couldn't replace dumb Assio as NYC mayor, and euthanasia was not an immediate option for BOTH failed leaders in City Hall and Albany! We're all in hostage mode right now because of these two shitheads, BOTH of whom have the IQ of rain!

Anonymous said...

Why isn't'thisn't he in jail yet?

Anonymous said...

Alas, our once great city is under the corrupt and hostile takeover by a 'KAKISTOCRACY,' or government by the worst persons; a form of government in which the worst persons are in power.

And, the longer that he remains in power——a power, mind you that he has so flagrantly abused which was never in his purview to exploit in the first place——the longer public trust and morale will continue to suffer, as we all pay an irreparable price for this crooked mayor's 'cognitive dissonance.'

In all of my third generation, born and raised life in New York City, I have never seen THIS type of openly practiced government tyranny that only seems to be getting worse by the hour!

IMPEACH THIS PUBLIC SERVICE IMPOSTOR ALREADY! ARE YOU LISTENING, PREET?