For John C. Liu, New York Comptroller, Commendations Are Commonplace In New York City, most city officials, a couple times a month, honor community organizations with special suitable-for-framing commendations, praising them for "distinguished leadership" or "dedicated service." Then there is John C. Liu. Since his election to the city comptroller position in 2009, Mr. Liu has showered people and groups with official commendations, handing out more than 760 - with nearly one-quarter of the recipients connected to his political campaign, according to an analysis conducted by The New York Times. A Liu donor who runs a business importing hair from China to make wigs got one. So did a travel agent who has booked busloads of gamblers on trips to the Mohegan Sun casino in Connecticut and backed Mr. Liu's campaigns. Then there is the hotel developer in Chinatown, another loyal contributor, who collected three Liu commendations within six months. The pace with which Mr. Liu is bestowing the awards - more than one a day - and the priority he gives to such ceremonies suggest a political outreach effort as much as an official duty. While other officials might send the commendations along in the mail, he personally delivers most of them, in every borough, posing for photos with recipients and building good will at the events. Those being honored sometimes have only vague connections to Mr. Liu's job as the top fiscal watchdog for the city. But they could be crucial constituencies in any citywide campaign: black churches, labor unions and influential political leaders. Mr. Liu, a Democrat, has also singled out at least 11 of the 70 members of his 2013 campaign committee, including William H. Su, who was given three commendations in early 2010. Mr. Su represents the Myanmar Chinese Association of New York and the On Leong Chinese Merchants Association. He said he was honored to receive the award from Mr. Liu. "We are all Chinese, and we are all proud of him," he said. Mr. Liu, through a spokesman, denied any link between the commendations and his political operation. The spokesman, George Arzt, said Mr. Liu's office typically gave commendations to organizations hosting events that the comptroller attended, as well as to their presidents. "We don't honor people based on whether they are supporters or not," Mr. Arzt said. We honor them for their contributions to their community. Now, though, with Mr. Liu's campaign finances subject to a widening federal investigation, the commendations could be examined for clues into his fund-raising practices. City and state ethics laws typically restrict what public officials can receive as gifts, not what they can provide. But several lawyers familiar with ethics and campaign finance laws said that Mr. Liu's commendations, which recipients often promote on their résumés, raise questions as to whether he was providing a tangible benefit to recipients, some of whom are lobbyists or have done business with the city. At minimum, Mr. Liu has significantly expanded and elevated the commendation process, say recipients and people familiar with the process. His predecessors, William C. Thompson Jr. and Alan G. Hevesi, handed out perhaps a few dozen each year, and almost always to cultural organizations, not people. Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg delivered 20 proclamations in 2011, none to people. Members of the City Council, including Speaker Christine C. Quinn, typically issue 20 to 25 annually. The only officials rivaling Mr. Liu in volume are the borough presidents, whose ceremonial functions are more central to their portfolio. One Chinese-American donor, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the continuing investigation said that the commendations - printed on high-quality paper with a prominent backdrop of the city seal and italicized lettering - were especially coveted in the Chinese-American community, where they are viewed as evidence of success or access to power. "John has used this very effectively," the donor said. He knows this is an honor and people like to show off. This is a big thing in Chinese culture.