Mayor Eric Adams brought in his smallest fundraising haul since taking office over the past three months — a span during which he was indicted on corruption charges and a swarm of federal investigations has consumed his administration.
The revelation came in fundraising numbers for the latest fundraising period updated Tuesday morning.
Adams’ raised just $146,151 between July and October 2024, according to city Campaign Finance Board records — a paltry sum compared to the $1.1 million his campaign raked in during the first six months of the year. His campaign $3,107,457 cash on hand.
However, his campaign compliance lawyer Vita Pitta, earlier Tuesday morning, said the campaign had raised $190,000 over the three month span. Pitta later said the number the CFB listed includes “amendments to prior reporting periods,” and the number he shared was the total for how much the mayor raised this filing period, before $82,625 and recieving advances of $16,360 that will be repaid.
The mayor was also outraised this quarter by city Comptroller Brad Lander, who on Friday reported bringing in $317,980 since mid-July. Lander’s campaign says that with what he has raised so far in direct contributions and expected matching funds combined, he will have a $4.5 million war chest. He has $279,338 cash on hand.
Even so, Adams has still outraised all of his competitors overall, having amassed $4.1 million for his 2025 reelection bid, according to his campaign. If his campaign is still awarded public matching funds, amid his indictment on charges for soliciting and accepting illegal foreign and straw donations, he will have raised a total of $8.2 million.
Pitta said that means Adams will effectively be done fundraising due to the CFB’s $8 million spending cap.
“Mayor Adams’s strong support from New Yorkers continues—and the campaign has now raised the maximum amount it can spend in the primary with anticipated matching funds for his reelection far ahead of schedule,” Pitta said in a statement.
But the mayor may have to keep raising money.
Given the federal charges against him, it remains unclear if he will be able to redeem the $4 million in taxpayer funds that his campaign expects to receive. The CFB will determine who is qualified to receive matching funds on Dec. 16.
Adams, when asked during his weekly Tuesday news conference if he will continue fundraising in anticipation of the CFB possibly witholding matching funds from his campaign, said he is ready to “pivot and shift.”
“I always step to the plate to do what is required,” Adams said. “And if there’s a requirement for me to do something else, I’m gonna step up to the plate and do that.”
According to the filings, Adams has gotten just one $250 donation since his indictment on Sept. 26. But when pressed on whether he is concerned about getting just one donation since he was criminally charged, Adams simply said “no.”
While Adams’ competitors must still aggressively fundraise to catch up with him, Friday’s filings showed they are holding their own.
Lander’s predecessor as comptroller, Scott Stringer, reported raising $180,540 since mid-July, bringing his total haul to $616,000. His campaign says that amount, combined with the public dollars it expects, will bring his total fundraising to $3.2 million. He currently has $285,000 in his campaign account.
State Sen. Zellnor Myrie (D-Brooklyn) raised $147,389 over the past three months, which, combined with the $473,869 he had already raised and matching funds, brings his fundraising total to just over $2 million.
Meanwhile, Myrie’s colleague in Albany’s upper chamber, Jessica Ramos (D-Queens), is currently trailing her competitors in the money game. Her campaign reported having raised $52,512 since she launched her bid about a month ago, but she has not yet reached the threshold to qualify for public matching funds.
