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

Washington, D.C. — Today, Campaign Legal Center (CLC) filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to investigate New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who allegedly solicited and directed foreign nationals to illegally contribute to his 2021 and 2025 campaigns for mayor of New York City — this includes arrangements to use U.S. citizens as “straw donors” to conceal the foreign sources of the campaign contributions. By doing so, Adams and his foreign contributors evaded federal laws prohibiting foreign spending on U.S. elections. 

While the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has abandoned its duty to pursue justice and accountability for this corrupt scheme, the FEC is in a unique position to step up and fulfill its responsibility to safeguard our elections from foreign influence. 

“Protecting American elections from foreign influence is essential to safeguarding our democracy,” said Erin Chlopak, senior director for campaign finance at Campaign Legal Center. “The Justice Department’s abandonment of its commitment to pursue illegal foreign influence in our elections makes the FEC’s independent enforcement authority all the more critical. When candidates and public officials invite foreign actors to influence our democratic process and government, public trust in our democracy is undermined. The FEC must step up to protect the integrity of our elections and pursue this blatantly corrupt scheme.” 

Federal campaign finance law prohibits a foreign national from promising or attempting to make either a direct or indirect contribution in connection with a federal, state or local election. The foreign national ban is one of the most important provisions in federal campaign finance law — it’s the only one that applies to federal, state and local elections. 

The FEC’s duty is clear — it must pursue this matter and assure the American people that foreign interference in American elections will not be tolerated.