September 9, 2009

Councilman Bill de Blasio

Friends of Bill de Blasio 2009
320 Seventh Avenue, #278
Brooklyn, NY 11215

Dear Councilman de Blasio,

I am writing about an issue that is of grave concern to all New Yorkers who believe in the
integrity of New York City's campaign finance system, which is one of the best in the country
and was designed to ensure clean and fair elections.

The editorial boards of the New York Times, the Daily News, and the New York Post have all
criticized your campaign's ties to third parties and their for-profit vendor, and questioned whether
you are benefiting from below market services and over the limit contributions. The Times said
that it “threatens to undermine” the campaign finance system. The Daily News called it an
“election funding scam” and stated that third parties had “likely funneled big unreported
contributions to candidates,” most prominently your campaign. In addition, the Campaign
Finance Board has issued an unprecedented proactive warning to you and other campaigns about
coordinated activity.

But even in the face of all these questions, you have done nothing to explain your campaign's use
of this vendor or disclose even basic information about the relationship, let alone address it, even
when given the opportunity at last night's debate.

In the interest of transparency and accountability, and providing a fair and even playing field as
we enter the final week of the primary campaign, I request that your campaign:
• suspend its contract with vendor Data and Field Services (DFS) including canvassers,
field staff, etc.
• publicly release its previous contracts with DFS, including the contract for use of a
targeted voter file that the campaign reportedly paid only $5,000 for when the fair market
value has been estimated as at least $25,000 and could easily be tens of thousands of
dollars more.
• publicly release information on the number of DFS employees campaigning for you, their
names, their salaries, and how much they've been paid to date.
• disclose whether the campaign has in fact been contacted by the CFB about issues
relating to DFS and publicly disclose any information and documentation that has been
provided to the CFB.

34-12 36th Street, Suite 131 • Astoria, NY • 11106 • 718.706.5095 (P) • 212.937.2230 (F)
 • account for why it's legitimate for any third party to create and use a corporate front
group when you stated at last night's debate that it would be wrong to create this exact
type of entity.

It's incumbent on a candidate who wants to be the city's top government watchdog to hold
himself and his campaign to a higher standard of transparency, disclosure and compliance with
the law. Claiming that you have not yet been found in violation of the law is not good enough. I
urge you to take this opportunity to act decisively, fully answer questions, and assure voters that
you can be truly independent, as is demanded of any candidate who seeks to be the next Public
Advocate.

Sincerely yours,

Eric Gioia

34-12 36th Street, Suite 131 • Astoria, NY • 11106 • 718.706.5095 (P) • 212.937.2230 (F)