Mayor Eric Adams is in the fight of his life after being indicted in a federal corruption investigation on Wednesday night, the New York Times reports.
On Thursday morning, the 57-page indictment officially charged Adams with five criminal counts including bribery, wired fraud, and soliciting illegal foreign campaign donations during his 2021 mayoral campaign and when he served as Brooklyn borough president in 2014.
The indictment goes on to say that Adams received more than $10 million in public matching funds for campaign contributions through the use of “straw donors” in the United States to conceal the foreign campaign contributions.
The federal inquiry against Adams first began in 2021. The probe alleged that the mayor received illegal foreign donations from the Turkish government to fund his campaign, pressured Fire Department officials to sign off and accelerated the opening of a new high-rise Turkish Consulate General building, costing the city almost $300 million, although there were many safety concerns.
During a press conference on Thursday, September 26, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams laid out the case against Adams and gave him the dubious distinction of being the first sitting mayor in New York City’s history to face federal charges while in office.
The federal inquiry first began in 2023 and the embattled mayor is allegedly facing charges that he received illegal foreign donations to fund his campaign from the Turkish government. Also, Adams is accused of pressuring Fire Department officials to sign off and accelerate the opening of a new high-rise Turkish Consulate General building, costing the city $300 million although there were many safety concerns. The investigation searched if Adams accepted expensive flights and upgrades on Turkish Airlines, which the Turkish government partly owns.
Federal prosecutors, led by the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Damian Williams, are expected to release more details on the indictment on Thursday (September 26). Adams will have the dubious distinction of being the first sitting mayor in New York City’s history to face federal charges while in office.
On Thursday morning, federal agents arrived at Gracie Mansion, the mayor’s official residence, with prisoner transport vehicles to execute a search warrant. According to sources, agents searched the residence and took Adams’ cell phone.
Alex Spiro, Adams’ attorney, said in a statement that the FBI is at his client’s residence “to create a spectacle” and “pick up a phone.”
“Federal agents appeared this morning at Gracie Mansion in an effort to create a spectacle (again) and take Mayor Adams’ phone (again). He has not been arrested and looks forward to his day in court,” Spiro wrote in his statement. “They send a dozen agents to pick up a phone when we would have happily turned it in.”
Ever defiant, Adams maintained in a video statement released Wednesday night following the announcement of the charges that he is innocent of all the charges levied against him.
“I always knew that If I stood my ground for New Yorkers, that I would be a target – and a target I became,” Adams said in his speech recorded at his official residence. “If I am charged, I am innocent, and I will fight this with every ounce of my strength and spirit.”
“I have been facing these lies for months … yet the city has continued to improve,” Adams said. “Make no mistake. You elected me to lead this city and lead it I will.”
Over the past year, many in Adams’ embattled administration have resigned from their positions and have been the subject of federal probes.
Brianna Suggs, Adams’ former chief fundraiser, was searched by federal agents. Additionally, federal agents searched the New Jersey homes of Rana Abbasova, a former aide in the mayor’s international affairs office who was also a liaison to the Turkish community, and Cenk Öcal, who served on Adams’ transition team and was a former Turkish Airlines executive.
David Banks stepped down from his post as chancellor of New York City schools, the nation’s largest public school system after it was revealed that he was connected to a federal bribery probe. Like Adams, Banks turned in his phones to federal agents several weeks ago. Banks’ Harlem home which he shares with First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright and the Queens home of his brother, Phil Banks, the deputy mayor for public safety, were both raided by federal agents.
Former NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban, Lisa Zornberg, Adams’ chief counsel, and Health Commissioner Ashwin Vasan have all resigned from their positions in Adams’ administration.
When the news of Adams’ indictment went public, U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., called for Adams to resign in a post on X (Formerly Twitter).
“I do not see how Mayor Adams can continue governing New York City,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “The flood of resignations and vacancies are threatening gov function. Nonstop investigations will make it impossible to recruit and retain a qualified administration. For the good of the city, he should resign.”
I do not see how Mayor Adams can continue governing New York City.
The flood of resignations and vacancies are threatening gov function. Nonstop investigations will make it impossible to recruit and retain a qualified administration.
For the good of the city, he should resign.…
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) September 25, 2024
Also, many of those who are seeking to unseat the mayor in 2025 have already demanded that Adams resign from office. State Senator Zellnor Myrie (D-Brooklyn) immediately called for the mayor to resign, saying that the indictment was “especially painful for so many Black New Yorkers who put our hope and faith in this Mayor,” according to the New York Post.
If Adams were to resign, he would be replaced by the city’s public advocate, Jumaane Williams, who would then schedule a special election.
In a statement, Williams described the indictment as “incredibly serious.”
“As the facts emerge, the public advocate will have more to say to the people of New York City, and right now, he is focused on how best to ensure that New Yorkers can regain trust, confidence and stability in city government,” the statement said.
Because of the city’s charter, Governor Kathy Hochul is the only elected official with the power to remove Adams from office if criminal charges are levied against the mayor. Hochul could also suspend Adams for 30 days. Many believe that it is very unlikely that Hochul would get involved in removing Adams.
Avi Small, Hochul’s press secretary, released a statement in response to Adams’ indictment on behalf of the governor.
“Governor Hochul is aware of these concerning news reports and is monitoring the situation,” Small’s statement read. “It would be premature to comment further until the matter is confirmed by law enforcement. “While Adams will be the first sitting mayor of New York City to be hit with criminal charges, he is not the first one to come under federal investigation. Bill de Blasio was investigated for his relationship with donors, but no charges were filed. More than 20 years after his mayoral tenure, Rudolph W. Giuliani was indicted this year for his role in seeking to overturn the 2020 presidential election results.
