Last Thursday, the Campaign Finance Board heard final arguments from the 2001 mayoral campaign of Mark Green, which was being investigated by the board for possible illegal coordination with the 32BJ union during the election. The board was investigating whether 32BJ members campaigned for Green in Southeast Queens, meaning Green’s campaign expenses could have been in excess of what the campaign declared.
John Siegal, the Green campaign’s lawyer, contended the finance board theoretically projected expenses for the campaign based on pizzas that were ordered one time for 32BJ members who were phone-banking at 32BJ headquarters.
“It’s the pizza connection,” Siegal scoffed.
In the end, C.F.B. didn’t find the Green campaign guilty of coordination but fined the campaign about $20,000 for other violations.
