New York Mayor Eric Adams (D) has been dealing with allegations of corruption for many years. Despite the mounting allegations against him, Adams has managed to dodge legal ramifications.
Until now.
Indeed, on Wednesday, Mayor Adams was indicted by a Manhattan grand jury on federal criminal charges.
“I always knew that if I stood my ground for New Yorkers that I would be a target — and a target I became,” Adams said in response to his indictment. “If I am charged, I am innocent, and I will fight this with every ounce of my strength and spirit.”
Unfortunately for Adams, however, the charges that he is facing are extremely serious. At the time of this writing, it’s not looking good for him.
From CNN:
New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been indicted on five federal charges related to bribery, wire fraud, conspiracy and soliciting campaign contributions from foreign nationals, according to a 57-page indictment unsealed Thursday morning. The indictment alleges illegal actions stretching back to 2014, from when he was Brooklyn Borough president.“For nearly a decade, Adams sought and accepted improper valuable benefits, such as luxury international travel, including from wealthy foreign businesspeople and at least one Turkish government official seeking to gain influence over him,” the indictment reads.
Specifically, Adams received luxury travel and other benefits from a Turkish official and later in exchange pressured the NYC Fire Department to open a Turkish consular building without a fire inspection, the indictment says.
Damian Williams, the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said that Adams “engaged in a long-running conspiracy.”
“Mayor Adams took these contributions even though he knew they were illegal,” Williams said. “He knew these contributions were attempts by a Turkish government official and Turkish businessmen to buy influence with him.”
Adams’ History
Adams is a former NYPD captain who took office in January of 2022. At the time, he promised to be a new kind of Democrat who would be tough on crime and help New York City bounce back from being shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite this, Adams has struggled during his time as mayor. Many would argue that life in New York has only gotten worse on his watch. The city has been flooded with migrants, sparking concerns about crime and subway safety. Adams has also found himself in hot water surrounding city spending, particularly when it comes to education.
While New Yorkers struggle to both make ends meet and feel safe in their city, Adams has maintained a hard-partying lifestyle that often sees him be spotted at New York nightclubs late at night. Even before his indictment, this all resulted in faith in Adams among New Yorkers on both sides of the political aisle hitting an all-time low.
It seems that Adams is just another corrupt Democrat who sees himself as being above the law. Top Democrats being exposed as sleazy politicians who are only out for themselves has sadly become an unfortunately common phenomenon these days. When it comes time to choose their next mayor, perhaps voters will consider putting a Republican into power, instead of picking another Democrat who is sure to make life in their city even worse.
Key Takeaways:
- New York City Mayor Eric Adams is indicted on multiple charges.
- Adams has been hit with five federal charges, including bribery and wire fraud.
- Adams has also been charged with conspiracy and soliciting campaign contributions from foreign nationals.