Public campaign financing has been dragged in the media, rightly or wrongly, in the wake of the scandal hitting New York City Mayor Eric Adams.

Among the charges Adams is facing is conspiracy to receive campaign contributions from foreign nationals and soliciting campaign contributions from foreign nationals. 

According to the Brennan Center, the transactions in the Adams case so far add up to $26,000 in straw donor contributions, $6,000 of which the campaign later refunded and did not claim for public matching funds.

While New York City’s public financing system has been around for decades, this is the first election cycle in which the state is using such a system. 

The question some have in the wake of the Adams scandal is this: Are there enough safeguards to ensure both the state and the city’s public campaign financing systems are free from corruption?

Capital Tonight asked that question of Brian Kolb, Republican vice chair of the state Public Campaign Finance Board and former Assembly minority leader.