New York Mayor Eric Adams, Democrat, has been indicted for corruption, according to the newspaper The New York Timesbecoming the first councilman in city history to be charged during his tenure. Although the federal criminal charges are not yet known, the alleged crimes against him stem from an FBI investigation into preferential treatment of Turkey in exchange for campaign donations. This was the origin of the ongoing investigation, which also confirmed Adams’ contacts with other countries.
The indictment of Adams, a former police officer who took office in January 2022 promising to crack down on crime, caps a crisis at City Hall in which a tangle of federal investigations has put members of his inner circle in the firing line. The possibility of the city government imploding became clear Wednesday, when New York Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called for the resignation of her co-religionist to stem a snowballing scandal. Surrounded by friends and loyalists, Adams has seen his power structure crumble in recent weeks. Earlier this month, federal agents seized the phones of numerous top city officials, including a top aide to Adams, the chancellor of public schools and the police commissioner. Chief Commissioner Edward A. Caban and Chancellor David C. Banks subsequently resigned.
Federal authorities seized Adams’ electronic devices last November, just days after they searched the Brooklyn home of his top fundraiser. His lawyers have said he has been cooperating with authorities, while the councilman has maintained he did nothing wrong. The FBI investigation initially focused on alleged ties to, and the corresponding preferential treatment that Adams provided to Turkish institutions in exchange for donations to his mayoral campaign. Specifically, FBI agents wanted to determine whether Adams conspired with the Turkish government to funnel illegal foreign donations into its coffers in exchange for pressuring the Fire Department to approve a new high-rise Turkish consulate downtown despite security concerns. The matter came to light in November. That’s when FBI agents searched the homes of Adams’ top fundraiser, his liaison to the Turkish community and a former Turkish Airlines executive who had served on his transition committee. Adams also reportedly received modest contributions from an unknown Turkish university with a campus in Washington. But the investigation began years earlier, during his 2021 mayoral campaign.
His bid for re-election in next year’s election now hangs in the balance if federal charges are brought. The 110th mayor of the Big Apple, and the second black, could be ousted by the state’s governor, fellow Democrat Kathy Hochul, who has the power to do so. The free-fall of his administration not only diminishes his political profile, it also provides an easy target for Republicans in the heat of the campaign for the November elections. Brad Lander, the city’s comptroller who is running for mayor, urged Adams to step aside: “The most appropriate path is for him to resign so that New York City can receive the full attention that his leadership demands.”
Democrats have expressed concern about what an indictment against Adams could mean for New York City, which faces many pressing challenges, including dealing with the immigration crisis and a lack of affordable housing, which drives thousands of residents out of the city each year. Just hours before the indictment was announced on Wednesday, Adams himself scored a point with the advancement of an ambitious housing plan, dubbed the City of Yes, which calls for relaxing outdated building restrictions and freeing up land to create “a little more housing” in all neighborhoods. The plan was approved by the City Planning Commission today.
If Adams were to resign, he could be replaced on an interim basis by New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, a left-leaning Democrat who is opposed to the weak and controversial centrism of the current mayor, who is very fond of making a fuss with little real substance.
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