PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Board of Ethics on Monday sued a political committee and a nonprofit supporting Jeff Brown’s bid for mayor and accused Brown of violating the city’s campaign finance law by illegally coordinating with those groups, which are supposed to operate independently from his campaign.
Citing an “extensive and elaborate scheme to circumvent the city’s campaign contribution limits,” the board asked Common Pleas Court Judge Joshua Roberts to issue an emergency order prohibiting the political group ― a super PAC called For A Better Philadelphia ― and the nonprofit, which has the same name, from spending money to influence the May 16 primary election for mayor and to cancel any planned television advertising or other efforts to support Brown’s campaign.
The board is also seeking $162,000 in fines to be paid jointly by the two groups for repeatedly violating the city’s campaign finance laws as part of the alleged scheme. That would be the largest-ever financial penalty for violations of those rules.
