Cuomo’s $8M warchest could prove difficult to spend in the NYC mayoral race

From POLITICO: 
As former NY Governor Andrew Cuomo prepares for a potential run for NYC mayor, he is sitting on $8 million in state campaign funds, well above the level of funding other candidates have access to. Campaign finance regulations prohibit Cuomo from directly spending the money on a mayoral campaign, but he has many ways to maneuver around them, either by transferring the money to a Super PAC or spending it on non-campaign expenses. New York rules allow candidates to spend campaign funds on almost anything, so Cuomo could spend his money on pre-campaign expenses like polling or publicized donations to nonprofit groups. 

PACs covered their bases with post-election contributions

From OpenSecrets: 
Many major PACs – funded by corporations, trade associations, and unions – gave donations to candidates shortly after their Election Day victories, despite having just backed their incumbent opponents. Of the 14 Congressional candidates who defeated an incumbent, 9 of them received donations from PACs that had previously been donating to their opponent.  This allows the PACs to immediately start building influence with new legislators, regardless of party affiliation or ideology. 

Venting at Democrats and Fearing Trump, Liberal Donors Pull Back Cash

From The New York Times: 
In contrast to the first Trump administration, in which small-dollar donations provided significant support to liberal groups and major donors supported Democratic candidates, such donations have slowed down significantly. Many liberal groups and donors fear that President Trump will follow through on his threats of vengeance against his political enemies, and some major donors have shifted to trying to build favor with the new administration. Others are demanding reform from the Democratic Party, particularly after former Vice President Kamala Harris burned through more than $1.5 billion in her defeat. 

Campaign Legal Center Files FEC Complaint Over Mayor Eric Adams’ Violations of the Ban on Foreign Election Interference

From the Campaign Legal Center:
The Campaign Legal Center is accusing NYC Mayor Eric Adams of soliciting illegal contributions from foreign nationals to his 2021 and 2025 campaigns, and of using “straw donors” to hide the source of those funds by disguising them as contributions from Americans. The CLC is calling on the FEC to investigate the matter and enforce regulations against foreign election contributions.