Fwd: COIB Settlements Announced
Ralph Yozzo
From: press1 <pre...@coib.nyc.gov>
Date: Mon, Feb 9, 2026, 1:58 PM
Subject: COIB Settlements Announced
To:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 9, 2026
CONTACT: Jeffrey Tremblay at trem...@coib.nyc.gov or (212) 437-0740
The New York City Conflicts of Interest Board (the “Board”) announces three settlements with public servants who used City resources for political campaigns during the 2025 New York City municipal elections.
- In August 2025, Mayor Eric Adams held an official press conference at City Hall. In advance of the press conference, Adams directed City Hall staffers to place multi-colored whistles on the folding chairs set up for reporters covering the event. When a reporter asked Adams about the whistles, he commented about one of his opponents in the upcoming mayoral election: “Many of these women here are interviewing Andrew Cuomo, and they feel unsafe. They’re going to have a whistle to help them through it.” To resolve his misuse of City time, City resources, and City personnel for the campaign purpose of drawing negative attention to one of his opponents in the upcoming election, Adams agreed to pay a $4,000 fine. The Disposition is attached as “COIB Disposition (Mayor).”
- In July 2025, New York City Council Member Joann Ariola posted a press release on her X account voicing her support for the candidacy of Curtis Sliwa, the Republican candidate for Mayor. The press release contained the seal of the City Council, a City resource that cannot be used for political endorsements. To resolve her violation, Ariola agreed to pay a $2,000 fine. The Disposition is attached as “COIB Disposition (Council).”
- In June 2025, a Community Coordinator in the Mayor’s Office used his City email account to send an email to many of his Mayor’s Office colleagues encouraging them to attend, and advertise to others, a kickoff event for Mayor Adams’s re-election campaign. To resolve his violation, the Community Coordinator agreed to pay a $400 fine. The Disposition is attached as “COIB Disposition (Mayor’s Office).”
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COIB is the independent, non-mayoral City agency charged with interpreting, administering, and enforcing the City's Conflicts of Interest Law, Annual Disclosure Law, Lobbyist Gift Law, Affiliated Not-for-Profits Law, and Legal Defense Trusts Law.
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New York City Conflicts of Interest Board