Bribery and Illegal Campaign Financing”
On Friday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams is expected to appear in federal court to answer to five criminal allegations, which include wire fraud, collecting illicit campaign contributions from outside the country, and bribery.
Adams allegedly accepted over $100,000 in lavish travel benefits and illicit campaign funding from Turkish businesses and an official who desired his influence, according to the indictment, which was made public on Thursday.
The 64-year-old former police officer Adams was elected almost three years ago on a platform of tough on crime. He has resisted calls for his resignation and refuted the allegations.
At noon local time, Mr. Adams will be formally charged with a crime and asked to enter a plea during his arraignment before Magistrate Judge Katherine Parker.
“At a press conference on Thursday, I ask New Yorkers to wait to hear our defense before making any judgments,” Adams stated.
“I follow the rules, I follow the federal law, I do not do anything that’s going to participate in illegal campaign activity.”
Residents of New York frequently stopped the news conference to demand “justice” and referred to Adams as a “disgrace” to the city.
The mayor might spend up to 45 years in prison if found guilty.
Governor Kathy Hochul of New York, who has the authority to remove the mayor from office, stated on Thursday that she was looking into the accusations.
“I’m going to take the time I need to review this indictment, see what’s embedded with this, but my number one responsibility is to make sure the people of New York city and state of New York are served,” stated Governor Hochul.
A “inability committee” made up of at least a few oppositional city officials has the power to remove Adams from his position as mayor.
A ten-year alleged system of corruption and bribery, starting when he was the Brooklyn borough president, is detailed in the 57-page indictment. The unscrupulous practices persisted even after he was elected mayor.
nd included ostentatious overseas travel.
One purported text conversation between an airline management and an Adams employee is included in the indictment. It concerns the mayor’s accommodations while traveling to Turkey.
The airline boss recommends the Four Seasons, to which the employee responds, “It’s too expensive.”
“What makes him concerned? The manager answers, “He won’t be paying.
The staffer for Adams says, “Super,”
The prosecution asserts that the same employee requested the airline manager to inflate Adams’ fare in order to hide the preferential treatment.
“We’re keeping an eye on everything he does,” the staff member suggests charging the mayor $1,000 for a plane ticket to Turkey. “Let it be somewhat real.”
New York City Mayor
Damian Williams, the US attorney for the Southern District of New York City Mayor, claimed during a press conference on Thursday that the mayor formed connections with foreign nationals in order to get illicit funding for his 2021 campaign.
Mr. Williams claimed that in 2023, the mayor “rekindled these corrupt relationships” by requesting more illicit campaign funds from some of the same overseas sources to help him win reelection.
According to the indictment, Adams accepted illicit funds from foreign organizations by using straw contributors, a tactic used by individuals or organizations to circumvent campaign finance restrictions.
Prosecutors claim that his campaign asked for and was awarded over $10 million in NYC funds, which are intended to match modest contributions from city dwellers.
According to court filings, he is also charged with attempting to conceal the benefits he got, concealing the presents from yearly disclosure forms and claiming to a co-conspirator that he “always” deleted texts pertaining to gifts and illegal travel.
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is among the prominent New York City Mayor Democrats who have urged Adams to resign.
Others, such as Hakeem Jeffries, the leader of the House minority, stopped short and asserted that Adams was entitled to the presumption of innocent.
Press secretary for the White House Karine Jean-Pierre refuted any collaboration between the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the White House and denied any link to political disputes over immigration.
“This case is being handled independently by the DOJ,” she said to reporters on Thursday.
Federal surveillance over Adams and his colleagues has increased since they took office on January 1, 2022.
In the course of an investigation that is thought to be centered on whether he accepted illicit campaign contributions from the Turkish government and other foreign sources, the FBI raided the homes of his chief fundraiser, Brianna Suggs, and other campaign staff members last year.
The resignation of several senior staffers in recent weeks has rocked the Adams administration as fresh probes have intensified. The mayor’s chief lawyer, the commissioner of police, and the commissioner of health have all departed.
David Banks, the Chancellor of New York City Schools, also declared his intention to step down a few weeks after his phones were taken by federal agents during a search of the residence he shares with Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright on September 4.
In the midst of the turmoil, Adams has some of the lowest approval ratings of any mayor in the history of the city, and a crowded field of Democratic primary rivals, who may include the disgraced former governor of New York Andrew Cuomo, is preparing to oppose his bid for reelection.
Adams will be replaced by Jumaane Williams, the left-leaning public advocate for the city, if he steps down or is ousted before his tenure expires in 2019.
Refrence by:BBC
Author:NTNDevelopers:Home
