Harlem Council Candidate Fined $17K For Campaign Violations

HARLEM, NY — A past candidate for City Council in Harlem was hit with nearly $18,000 in penalties this week for eight separate campaign finance violations, the city's Campaign Finance Board announced Tuesday.

Marvin Holland, a union organizer who ran twice in 2017 for Central Harlem's District 9 seat, faces $17,909 in penalties amid allegations that his campaign failed to report its spending and did not respond to audits from the board, in violation of city rules.

His campaign must also repay more than $51,000 in public funds.

Holland came in second place in the February 2017 special election for District 9, finishing behind Bill Perkins. He lost to Perkins again in a Democratic primary rematch six months later, earning about 19.6 percent of the vote to Perkins's 49.9 percent.

Holland's campaign raised about $94,700 combined in private donations and public matching funds, and spent more than $145,000.

According to the board, however, Holland's campaign failed to report more than $92,400 in transactions, earning a $4,623 penalty.

It also did not keep proper receipts, promptly report major spending, and impermissibly spent nearly $3,000 after the election, according to the board.

Finally, the biggest penalty — more than $10,700 — was levied because the campaign failed to respond to five separate notices from the board, requesting fundraising documents, according to the board.

An email to Holland's former campaign account was not returned.

The board approved the penalties at a Monday meeting.

Follow Harlem Patch for coverage of this year's District 9 City Council race.