Bill Thompson during a 2009 campaign rally. (photo credit: azi paybarah / observer)

Thanks to a technicality over how the Department of Sanitation issued their fines, Bill Thompson’s mayoral campaign does not have to pay $619,125 in fines for illegal postering during the 2009 campaign, a judge ruled recently. The ruling was first reported by City Hall News.

So far, Thompson raised $251,130, and had about $265,507 on hand. If the fine would have been upheld, it would have drove his campaign into debt while many of his likely rivals — John Liu, Christine Quinn, Bill de Blasio and Scott Stringer, are busy raising money.

David Seifman has argued that a strong showing by Thompson  would derail Liu’s chances of running for mayor, since they would be appealing to many of the same voters.

Thompson’s ruling is the largest fine so far to be tossed out against a 2009 campaign.  Liu’s 2009 campaign for comptroller was hit with more than $500,000 in fines, but similarly got them thrown out over technicalities.

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