Context:

Andrew Cuomo, the former Governor of New York, is under scrutiny for potentially violating New York City's campaign finance rules by allegedly using a 'red-boxing' strategy on his campaign website. This practice involves posting strategic information publicly to indirectly guide super PACs supporting a candidate, circumventing rules against direct communication. Cuomo's campaign website contained detailed instructions that closely mirrored ads produced by the super PAC Fix the City, raising concerns of illegal coordination. The New York City Campaign Finance Board issued a warning regarding such practices, and a formal investigation has been requested by a political opponent. If found guilty, Cuomo risks losing significant public matching funds and facing penalties, although his campaign denies any wrongdoing and claims no actionable coordination occurred.

Dive Deeper:

• Andrew Cuomo is accused of using a campaign strategy known as 'red-boxing,' where candidates indirectly communicate with super PACs by posting strategic information publicly. This method is intended to bypass rules that prohibit direct coordination between campaigns and supporting super PACs.

• Cuomo's campaign website featured a page labeled as a 'message for voters,' which detailed strategic instructions that could be used by super PACs like Fix the City to create ads and guide spending. These instructions included specific demographic targets and media strategies.

• The New York City Campaign Finance Board has warned against such practices, which are now prohibited under city rules, although they remain legal at the federal level. The board emphasized that penalties could apply if a super PAC acts on information provided in a 'red box.'

• Fix the City, a super PAC supporting Cuomo, has already raised over $6 million and spent $2.5 million on advertisements that closely align with the messaging on Cuomo's campaign website, prompting allegations of illegal coordination.

• State Senator Zellnor Myrie, one of Cuomo's opponents, has formally requested an investigation into the potential coordination between Cuomo's campaign and the super PAC. The request highlights specific ads that reflect Cuomo's campaign strategies mentioned on his website.

• Cuomo's campaign and his lawyer argue there is no evidence of the super PAC acting on the posted information and maintain that no violation occurred. Meanwhile, the Campaign Finance Board has previously denied Cuomo matching funds due to incomplete paperwork, though this is a separate issue.

• The scrutiny over Cuomo's campaign tactics comes at a critical time in the mayoral race, where adherence to campaign finance rules is essential for accessing public funds, which could be jeopardized if the board finds a violation.