Corruption accusations | New York mayor admits accepting “harmless courtesies”

(New York) New York Mayor Eric Adams launched a legal attack Monday against the federal corruption case against him. His lawyer asked a judge to drop the corruption charges and then held an aggressive news conference accusing prosecutors of ethics violations.

Mr. Adams, a Democrat, pleaded not guilty Friday to charges that he accepted luxury travel perks and illegal campaign contributions from a Turkish official and other foreign nationals, and in exchange made services, notably by advancing the opening of a Turkish consulate.

The mayor’s lawyers said in a motion filed early Monday that the cheap flights to foreign destinations, seat upgrades, free meals and free hotel rooms he received were not bribes. -wine, as this crime is defined by federal law.

“Members of Congress get upgrades, they get suites, they get better tables in restaurants, they get free hors d’oeuvres, they get their iced tea refilled,” his lawyer, Alex Spiro, said during a subsequent press conference. Courtesy toward politicians are not federal crimes.”

While he does not dispute that Adams accepted flight upgrades and deeply discounted or free travel, Mr. Spiro said his client never promised to act on behalf of the Turkish government in exchange for these benefits, which prosecutors say were worth more than US$100,000.

“There was no quid pro quo. There wasn’t this for that,” Mr. Spiro said.

The mayor has vowed to continue serving while fighting the accusations, which he says, without providing evidence, are politically motivated.

Other investigations into the mayor

In addition to the case against Mr. Adams, federal prosecutors are reportedly conducting separate investigations into several high-ranking city officials with close ties to the mayor. The pace of searches and subpoenas in recent weeks has prompted the resignations of the city’s police commissioner and schools chancellor, as well as some calls for the mayor’s resignation.

Gov. Kathy Hochul, another Democrat, who has the power to remove Mr. Adams from office, told reporters Monday that she had spoken to the mayor about her expectations but also indicated she was not ready to abandon his administration.

“I now give the Mayor the opportunity to demonstrate to New Yorkers – and to myself – that we are righting the ship, that we have the opportunity to instill the confidence that I believe is wavering right now and to move forward with effective government,” she said.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, whose office brought the case, said politics played no role. At a news conference on an unrelated matter Monday, Mr. Williams declined to comment on Mr. Spiro’s remarks, saying prosecutors would speak through his court filings in the future.

Prosecutors say Mr. Adams accepted at least seven free and heavily discounted flights, as well as luxury hotel stays, upscale meals, entertainment and illegal foreign donations, from a Turkish official and others seeking to buy his influence.

In September 2021, the official sought to cash in on those favors by asking Mr. Adams to expedite the opening of the 36-story Manhattan consulate building, which fire safety inspectors declared unsafe to occupy, before an important state visit by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, according to the indictment.

Mr Adams then sent a series of text messages to the fire marshal asking him to open the building – which Mr Spiro also did not dispute.

At the time, Mr. Adams was still serving as Brooklyn borough president, a largely honorary position, but he had already won the mayoral primary and was widely expected to become mayor.

Prosecutors said Mr. Adams failed to disclose most of the free or heavily discounted trips he took while serving as borough president, as required by the city’s travel laws. conflicts of interest.

At the news conference, Mr. Spiro initially said his customer was not legally obligated to disclose travel or upgrades, but then acknowledged — after reporters noted city rules that required that certain types of gifts and travel perks be reported — that he was not an expert on the city’s conflict of interest law.

Defense lawyers say additional accusations against Mr. Adams — that he solicited and accepted foreign donations and manipulated the city’s matching funds program — would soon be revealed as “equally baseless.”

They said a former Adams staffer lied to prosecutors to make it appear the mayor had direct knowledge of the illegal donations.

“New Yorkers, being New Yorkers, will eventually realize all this,” Mr. Spiro said.

Mr Adams is due back in court on Wednesday for a conference.