New York Mayor Eric Adams appears in court in connection with a case involving illegal donations

JAKE OFFENHARTZ and MICHAEL R. SISAK

NEW YORK (AP) – Troubled New York City Mayor Eric Adams arrived in federal court Friday morning, where he faces charges of accepting illegal campaign contributions and free trips abroad from people looking to buy his influence in the city government.

Adams gave a thumbs up but didn’t stop to talk to reporters as he headed to the Manhattan courthouse, flanked by his own police protection. He was scheduled to appear before Justice of the Peace Katharine Parker at noon.

The indictment unsealed Thursday accused the Democrat of accepting various inappropriate gifts from Turkish officials and businessmen, including free hotel stays and heavily discounted airline tickets to destinations including France, China, Sri Lanka, India, Hungary, Ghana and Turkey.

In return, prosecutors say, Adams did favors for his patrons. That included helping Turkey get fire department approval to open a new diplomatic tower in Manhattan, despite concerns about its fire safety system, prosecutors say.

Adams maintains his innocence. His lawyer said it was not unusual or inappropriate for a government official to accept certain travel benefits. The mayor has denied ever knowingly accepting illegal campaign contributions and said any assistance he provides to those navigating the city bureaucracy is simply part of doing his job.

It was unclear how the mechanics of Adams’ journey through the courthouse would unfold. Many people charged with federal crimes are arrested in their homes early in the morning, booked, and then brought before a judge after spending hours or even days in custody. But that’s not always the case, and it wasn’t the case with Adams.

When former U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey was indicted in the same court on corruption charges a year ago, he, too, arrived in the morning a free man, appeared briefly before a judge and left after about 4 1/2 hours in the building. He was never seen in handcuffs.

The Lower Manhattan courthouse is less than two blocks from the courthouse where former President Donald Trump was tried and convicted of falsifying business records, and from the same courthouse where a jury found Trump civilly liable for the sexual assault of a writer E. Jean Carroll in 1996, the top cases now include the sex trafficking case against hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs.

The mayor tried to introduce into his daily schedule the feeling that he was still dealing with city affairs. He listed 8 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. meetings with senior city officials and employees. He also scheduled afternoon meetings, starting at 3:30 p.m., with the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary, a committee that screens candidates for judicial positions – a reminder that even though Adams is indicted, he retains all of his official powers, including the ability to appoint certain judges.

Adams is charged with conspiracy, wire fraud and bribery in a five-count indictment.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said Thursday that several businessmen and a Turkish diplomat engaged in a “multi-year scheme to buy favors” from Adams.

In public remarks Thursday, Adams asked New Yorkers to avoid making any judgments until they hear his defense.

His lawyer, Alex Spiro, told reporters that the travel allowances and seat upgrades Adams agreed to were widely offered to VIPs and members of Congress.

“That’s what the airlines do,” he said, noting that many of the allegations stem from trips Adams took years ago when he was Brooklyn borough president.

Adams has so far endured calls to resign from his critics, some Republicans and the field of potential Democratic primary challengers he faces in the June mayoral primary. The New York Times editorial board, which did not endorse Adams when he ran for mayor in 2021, also called on him to step down, arguing that he could not continue to effectively run the city while he denied the criminal charges.

Notably, top Democrats such as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries have not asked Adams to resign. Both issued statements after the indictment was revealed, saying that the legal process should continue. The New York Post editorial board similarly said Adams should be allowed to defend himself against the charges, and described some of the allegations in the indictment as “small potatoes.”

Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat who could remove Adams from office, also stopped short of calling on Adams to resign, but appeared to warn the mayor, whom she has often tried to portray as a close ally.

“As I review my options and responsibilities as Governor of New York, I expect the Mayor will take the next few days to review the situation and find an appropriate path forward to ensure New Yorkers are well served by their leaders,” Hochul said. “We must give New Yorkers confidence that there is consistent and responsible leadership at every level of government.”

It is unclear whether Adams’ indictment is the final word on the federal investigation into the administration.

Federal prosecutors are believed to be conducting multiple separate investigations into Adams, his senior associates and those associates’ relatives. In early September, federal investigators seized the devices of the police commissioner, schools chancellor, two deputy mayors and other trusted confidants of Adams.

Just in the last two weeks, the police commissioner resigned and the school’s chancellor announced he was retiring. None of them have been charged with a crime or publicly accused of committing a crime.

Associated Press reporter Anthony Izaguirre in Albany contributed to this report.

Originally published: September 27, 2024 at 10:38 am