Campaign Finance Board's Staff Seeks to Deny Liu Public Funds

Wall Street Journal:

The New York City Campaign Finance Board staff has recommended that Democratic mayoral candidate John Liu be denied public matching funds, his campaign said Thursday, dealing a potentially crippling blow to his bid for City Hall.

The board's staff recently sent Mr. Liu a letter advising the campaign that "they are inclined to make an unfavorable recommendation to the board," a campaign spokeswoman said. The board is scheduled to meet on Monday and will consider the recommendation.

...snip...

It wasn't known on Thursday night what reason the staff had given the board for its recommendation. The board can deny funds if it determines that a candidate has committed a violation of the program's rules, or if the candidate, or an agent of the candidate, has committed fraud.

Eric Friedman, a board spokesman, said: "We're not prepared to discuss issues about public-fund payments until the board makes its determinations."