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topicnews · September 27, 2024

Details and charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams are explained

Details and charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams are explained

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New York City Mayor Eric Adams pleaded not guilty Friday to five federal criminal charges of accepting bribes, wire fraud and illegal campaign contributions from foreign nationals, as the Democrat defies growing calls for his resignation from within his own party.

“I’m not guilty, your honor,” Adams, 64, told U.S. Magistrate Judge Katharine Parker as she asked for his plea during his first appearance in the case in Lower Manhattan federal court.

Who is Eric Adams?

One of six children, Adams grew up in Brooklyn to a single mother who cleaned houses. Adams tells the story of a time when the police beat him as a teenager, which inspired him to join the NYPD in hopes of reforming it from within. He became an outspoken officer of the force before becoming its captain.

In 2006, Adams was elected as a state senator and served four terms until being elected Brooklyn Borough President in 2013. When he won the city’s mayoral election in 2021, he became only the second Black person to take the office.

Adams announced his mayoral campaign in 2020, promising to reduce crime and prioritize public health given his background as a police officer when the city was at the height of the COVID pandemic. Adams, a moderate Democrat, has called himself the “Joe Biden of Brooklyn.”

What are the fees?

The 57-page indictment lists five federal criminal charges against Adams, including:

  • Count 1: Conspiracy to commit wire fraud
  • Count 2: Wire Fraud
  • Points 3 and 4: Request for donation from a foreigner
  • Count 5: Bribery

Federal prosecutors allege that Adams secretly solicited and accepted illegal gifts and campaign contributions from wealthy foreign nationals. Specifically, allegations that Adams accepted luxury airline tickets, meals and hotel rooms from Turkish officials.

According to the indictment, Adams retaliated by pressuring the city’s fire department to approve the opening of a new Turkish consulate building in 2021 without a fire inspection. It claims that the building failed an inspection at the time, but that Turkish officials are eager to open it for the UN General Assembly ahead of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit to the city.

The indictment also accuses Adams of illegally accepting foreign campaign donations and using them to “stole” $10 million in public money through the city’s matching funds program.

What’s next?

The judge in the case, Dale E. Ho, scheduled a second hearing for Wednesday morning to discuss the trial schedule and other issues.

Facing public backlash and calls for his resignation, Adams has vowed to remain in his position as mayor. Under New York’s charter, Gov. Kathy Hochul has the authority to remove a mayor but has not said she plans to do so.

Hochul issued a statement Thursday saying she would “evaluate my options and responsibilities as governor of New York.”

“I expect the mayor will use the next few days to review the situation and determine an appropriate path forward to ensure that the people of New York City are well served by their leaders,” Hochul said.

Reuters and USA TODAY’s Bart Jansen contributed to this report. Reach Rachel Barber at [email protected] and follow her on X @rachelbarber_

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