DoorDash has emerged as the primary contributor to a political committee that is promoting City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams in her mayoral campaign, although advertisements only disclose funding from a significant municipal workers’ union.
The committee, known as Competent New York, has reportedly spent close to $300,000 on radio and internet video advertisements touting Adams as a champion for workers without drama.
According to city and state records, Competent New York was established by District Council 37, a union representing 150,000 members, who have endorsed Adams at the top of their ranked slate, which also features state lawmakers Zohran Mamdani and Zellnor Myrie.
The ads prominently feature a funding disclosure that states, “Paid for by Competent NY with funding provided by AFSCME Working Families Fund New York.” AFSCME stands for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and acts as the parent union of DC 37.
Recent records from the Campaign Finance Board (CFB) reveal that Competent New York paid a total of $286,800 for the radio and video advertisements.
However, in a departure from regulatory norms, the committee has not yet reported any contributions to the CFB.
State Board of Elections records indicate that Competent New York received a substantial contribution of $150,000 from Local Economies Forward NY, an independent spending committee funded solely by DoorDash, on June 11.
This committee is additionally supporting various City Council candidates during a pivotal time when the Council is considering legislation that would mandate sick leave for delivery workers.
Despite being a major issue, the bill has yet to gain traction and currently has 12 sponsors, amidst a backdrop of significant regulations imposed by the Council in the past.
DoorDash’s head of North American public policy, John Horton, confirmed the contributions made to the pro-Adams spending group in a statement provided to THE CITY.
“Our goal in New York City has remained consistent — support the candidates who prioritize the local economy and improving life for all New Yorkers,” Horton stated, adding that Speaker Adams is a pragmatic leader seeking pro-local economic solutions.
City regulations mandate that the top three donors to an independent expenditure committee be revealed in all communications directed at the public.
Unlike the silent support for Adams, DoorDash have openly donated $1 million to a different spending group called Fix the City, known for its heavy advertising for another mayoral candidate, Andrew Cuomo.
Cuomo’s campaign materials have prominently featured the DoorDash name, as they focus on promoting him while critiquing Mamdani.
A consultant working with Competent New York relayed a statement asserting that AFSCME funding came in later than initially expected, which prompted the group to disclose the union’s financial support.
The same statement also mentioned that the ads would be updated to reflect the contributions from Local Economies Forward.
Nevertheless, the committee has not clarified the specific amount contributed by AFSCME or provided any associated documentation.
Remarkably, as of Tuesday morning, the CFB’s online records did not indicate any updates and still listed AFSCME as the sole funder, showing $0 in reported contributions to Competent New York.
When inquiries were directed toward DC 37 regarding these discrepancies, they forwarded the questions to AFSCME, which has not yet responded.
A spokesperson for Adams’ campaign declined to provide any comments on the matter.
Earlier this month, a representative for Competent New York disclosed to City & State that the union intended to invest “high six figures” into the committee.
The state record confirms that the $150,000 contribution to Competent New York from DoorDash’s PAC occurred on June 11, just four days after the committee reported its ad purchases to the CFB.
New York City law is explicit in requiring independent expenditure groups to report all contributions, and CFB guidelines clarify that reporting to the state Board of Elections does not meet this requirement.
Failure to comply with reporting obligations could lead to fines reaching up to 50% of the unreported amounts, in addition to daily penalties of up to 1% based on the group’s total spending for missing documentation.
As of now, the Campaign Finance Board has not publicly commented on the situation regarding Competent New York.
image source from：https://www.thecity.nyc/2025/06/17/dc37-union-adrienne-adams-doordash/
