New York Mayor refuses to resign amid FBI corruption investigation

New York, USA, September 26 (EFE). – New York Mayor Eric Adams, who is reportedly facing charges in a federal corruption investigation, has refused to resign and said he will “fight these injustices.”

At least a dozen FBI agents raided the mayor’s official residence at Gracie Mansion on Thursday morning, Adams’ attorney Alex Shapiro confirmed. The agents reportedly served the mayor with a subpoena to appear in federal court.

The raid came after The New York Times reported Wednesday that Adams had been charged in a federal corruption investigation, making him the city’s first mayor to face criminal charges while in office.

In a video released early Thursday morning, Adams said he would “fight these injustices with every ounce of my strength and spirit.”

“If I am charged, I know I am innocent,” he added, saying the federal government’s allegations were “completely false and based on lies.”

“For months, leaks and rumors have been spread against me in an attempt to undermine my credibility and portray me as guilty,” said Adams, a retired police captain who took office in January 2022.

In November 2023, agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) seized some of Adams’ electronic devices as part of an investigation into political fundraising during his 2021 campaign.

It is believed that the charges are related to the mayor’s alleged support from the Turkish government, which illegally funneled money into his mayoral election campaign.

The charges were reportedly brought after federal prosecutors recently asked the City Council to disclose all of the Adams administration’s communications with Turkey and five other countries.

Meanwhile, the New York Post reported that U.S. Attorney Damian Williams is expected to unseal the charges on Thursday and that the mayor is expected to surrender to authorities early next week.

The investigation reportedly involved some of the highest-ranking officials in Adams’ administration, raising doubts about the mayor’s ability to govern.

On Wednesday evening, New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez became the latest official to call for the mayor’s resignation.

“I don’t see how Mayor Adams can continue to govern New York City. The flood of resignations and vacancies threatens the functioning of the government. Continuous investigations will make it impossible to recruit and retain a qualified administration. For the good of the city, he should resign,” Ocasio-Cortez said on X. EFE

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