NEW YORK (AP) — A New York City mayoral hopeful's reputation and popularity may be at stake when his former campaign treasurer and a fundraiser go on trial this week.

They're charged with conspiring to break campaign finance laws to raise money for him. The trial in federal court is delayed until at least Wednesday.

Jia "Jenny" Hou (HOW) and Xing Wu Pan are charged with conspiracy involving fundraising on behalf of city Comptroller John Liu (LOO). Hou and Pan have pleaded not guilty.

The government claims Hou and Pan tried to use straw donors to funnel large donations to the campaign and get around limits on individual contributors.

Liu is not charged and is unlikely to testify. His lawyer says the public will learn through the trial that Liu always sought to run an honorable campaign.