MAYOR DE BLASIO APPOINTS FREDERICK SCHAFFER AS CHAIR OF THE CAMPAIGN FINANCE BOARD

  Mayor Bill de Blasio today appointed Frederick Schaffer as the chair of the Campaign Finance Board (CFB). Utilizing his years of experience in the government and legal fields, Frederick Schaffer will be responsible for leading the CFB, which monitors City candidates' campaign contributions and expenditures and enforces the City's campaign finance law by providing public funding to candidates who participate in the City's public financing system. The Board also makes public disclosure of the candidates' campaign finances, publishes a non-partisan Voter Guide for each regularly scheduled City election, and administers a mandatory debate program for candidates for public office who seek public funding for their campaigns. This appointment was made in consultation with the City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito.

“The Campaign Finance Board is essential to the City’s electoral system and ensures a level of transparency in electoral proceedings,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “We are fortunate to have Frederick Schaffer as the new chair of the board as he demonstrates exactly the kind of intelligent, impartial and independent leadership that the CFB requires. He brings an abundance of experience and knowledge that will help the Board to properly apply the law and ensure the program’s integrity.”

About Frederick Schaffer

Frederick Schaffer most recently served as the General Counsel and Senior Vice Chancellor for Legal Affairs at The City University of New York, a position that he held for 16 years. In this position, Schaffer was responsible for providing legal counsel to the Board of Trustees, the Chancellor and the University on a wide range of issues and supervising a legal department of 20 lawyers. Schaffer also served as General Counsel to the CUNY Construction Fund, a public authority that finances capital construction at the University. In addition, Schaffer was President of the CUNY Economic Development Corporation, an affiliated not-for profit corporation that oversees economic development projects at the University.

Prior to holding this position, Frederick Schaffer served for five years as an Assistant US Attorney in the Southern District of New York. He also worked in New York City Government for six years as a Chief Litigating Corporation Counsel and as Counsel to Mayor Ed Koch. Additionally, he served for ten years as a director of The Legal Aid Society, serving as chairman for two years. He has served as the Director of the Board of the Citizens Union since 2010.

Frederick Schaffer is also the recipient of one of the 2011 Awards for Excellence in Public Service from the New York State Bar Association. He graduated with his Bachelor of the Arts degree from Harvard College in 1968 and received his J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1973.