New York City Mayor Eric Adams pleaded not guilty Friday to federal bribery charges, forcefully rejecting allegations that he accepted foreign travel, campaign money and other perks from foreign interests seeking to harness his influence.
Adams’ attorney told the judge they would move next week to dismiss the case that has rocked America’s largest city after months of investigations, searches and subpoenas. In his first term, the Democratic candidate insists that he has done nothing wrong and pledged to remain in office, rejecting increasing calls for him to resign.
Adams, a former police captain, entered his plea in a packed Manhattan courtroom located a short walk from City Hall and with sweeping views of the city.
His appearance before US Judge Katherine Parker came a day after prosecutors unveiled an indictment accusing him of taking $100,000 in flights and staying in luxury hotel suites from people linked to Turkey, and fueling his candidacy for mayor with illegal donations that helped him qualify. For more than $10 million in public campaign funds.
“I’m not guilty, Your Honor,” Adams said, looking solemnly at the judge.
Adams was released on the condition that he not contact any witnesses or persons named in the indictment. Prosecutors said they would provide his lawyers with a list of names.
Parker said Adams is allowed to speak with his family members and employees, but not about anything related to the allegations, warning that he could face additional charges and penalties if he engages in witness tampering or intimidation.
Adams left the courtroom without commenting. He smiled at one of the court officers, but ignored the rows of journalists he passed on his way out. Afterward, Adams stood silently outside the courtroom while his attorney, Alex Spiro, contested the charges before a crowd of cameras and onlookers who exchanged shouts of “Freedom for Eric!” and “Lock him up!”
“This is not even a real case. This is the corruption case related to airline promotion,” Spiro said.
Adams, 64, is scheduled to return to court on Wednesday for a conference before U.S. District Judge Dale E. Ho, who will preside over the case moving forward.
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In court for about 18 minutes, Adams sat stock still with his hands folded in his lap as Parker read the charges aloud, her powerful message highlighting the seriousness of the case.
Adams was charged with five counts: wire fraud, bribery, conspiracy and two counts of receiving campaign contributions from a foreign national. If convicted of the most serious charge, wire fraud, he faces up to 20 years in prison, federal prosecutors said.
Adams, who rose to office as a middle-class champion of law and order, is accused of exploiting a years-long relationship with a Turkish official dating back to his time as Brooklyn’s borough president for personal and political gain, and of failing to disclose those entanglements. On disclosure forms
Among other things, Adams is accused of allowing the official and others to shower him with luxury accommodations in places such as France, China, Sri Lanka, India, Hungary, Ghana and Turkey, including valuable business class upgrades, upscale meals, and even a trip to the Turkish bath. All told, prosecutors say the liens are worth more than $100,000.
Adams is also accused of conspiring with Turkish businessmen and others to funnel illegal foreign donations to his political campaigns, in part by routing them through bogus donors who did not actually contribute the money. People who are not US citizens are prohibited by law from donating to US political candidates.
In return, Adams allegedly provided favors to his patrons, including in September 2021, when, on the verge of being elected mayor, prosecutors said he helped ensure that the newly built Turkish diplomatic tower in Manhattan was not subject to a fire inspection, which would have been certain to fail. At one point, a Turkish official praised him as “a true friend of Turkey,” according to the indictment. Adams allegedly responded: “Yes, he’s a real friend of yours. You’re my brother.”
Spiro, a vaunted defense attorney whose list of past and present clients includes Elon Musk, Alec Baldwin and Jay-Z, said it is not unusual or inappropriate for an elected official to accept certain travel privileges. The mayor denied knowingly accepting any illegal campaign contributions, and said any assistance he provided to people dealing with the city bureaucracy was just part of doing his job.
Adams has so far weathered calls to resign, including from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, potential Democratic challengers in next June’s mayoral primary, and some Republicans. Top Democrats such as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries have not called on Adams to resign, saying the legal process should be allowed to proceed.
Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat with the power to remove Adams from office, has not called on Adams to resign. But she appeared to issue a warning to the mayor she often portrays as a close ally, saying in a statement that she was reviewing her “options and commitments” and expected the mayor would “take the next few days to review the situation and find the appropriate path forward to ensure that New Yorkers receive quality service.” By their leaders.
Adams’ indictment is unlikely to be the final word on federal investigations into city government.
“This investigation is ongoing,” U.S. Attorney Damian Williams told reporters Thursday. “We are continuing to dig and will hold more people accountable, and I encourage anyone with information to come forward and do so before it is too late.”
Federal prosecutors are believed to be leading multiple, separate investigations involving Adams, his top aides, and those aides’ relatives. In early September, federal investigators seized devices from the police commissioner, a schools chancellor, two deputy mayors and other trusted associates of Adams.
In just the last two weeks, the police commissioner resigned and the school principal announced he was retiring. Neither has been charged with a crime or publicly accused of wrongdoing.
The Lower Manhattan Court is located less than two blocks from the courthouse where former President Donald Trump was tried and convicted of falsifying business records. Adams was arraigned in the same court where a jury found Trump civilly liable for the sexual assault of writer E. Gene Carroll in 1996 and in the same courtroom where hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs was arraigned last week on sex trafficking charges. .
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Associated Press reporter Anthony Izaguirre in Albany contributed.
