Eva Moskowitz claims that Success Academy schools are public charters and so deserve free space in public school buildings.

But Moskowitz contends at the same time that the finances of her network’s 22 schools should not be open to public scrutiny by the state.

This double standard is at the heart of Moskowitz’s strategy — she cries poverty while spending big money to buy ads and political influence.

New York state law authorizes the state comptroller to audit charters as well as public school districts to ensure public money is not being misused.

State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli’s audits have turned up important information, including that a Niagara County charter school overbilled school districts for students it didn’t have and that an Erie County charter transferred $425,000 to two private entities to enable the school to engage in commercial ventures.

When it came time for an audit of a Success Academy school last year, Moskowitz sued the state.

She won a round on March 14, when a state Supreme Court judge ruled that charter schools are not “state units” and therefore cannot be audited by the state.

The decision is mind-boggling. Charter schools exist in accordance with state laws and receive public funding. Most are under the authority of a state agency, either the Board of Regents or, as in the case of Success Academy schools, the State University of New York Charter Schools Institute. A smaller number are authorized by the city Department of Education.

DiNapoli’s office has not announced whether it will appeal. In New York City, fortunately, there may be a way around this wrongheaded ruling. City Comptroller Scott Stringer has announced he will audit charters.

We know from the limited public disclosure required of charters that Moskowitz has a salary of $487,000.

We also know that the Success Charter Network paid about $519,000 to a prominent political consulting firm as part of its bid to win political influence. And we know that the network has many ultrawealthy donors and that it raised $7 million in one night at a gala last year.

What more might we learn about Success Academy schools from public audits? Perhaps that they can afford rent.