By Luc Cohen for Reuters
New York City Mayor Eric Adams (front) with his lawyer Alex Spiro who spoke to media on 26 September 2024. Photo: Getty via AFP
New York City Mayor Eric Adams has pleaded not guilty to federal charges of accepting bribes and illegal campaign contributions from Turkish nationals, as the Democrat resists mounting calls from within his own party to resign.
Adams, 64, entered the plea before US Magistrate Judge Katharine Parker at his first appearance in the case in Manhattan federal court. He wore a dark blue suit with a purple dotted tie, and stared straight ahead as Parker explained the five felony counts he faces, including bribery and wire fraud.
"I am not guilty, your honour," Adams said when Parker asked for his plea.
His lawyer, Alex Spiro, said he would file a motion to dismiss the charges next week. Adams is next due in court on 2 October.
The mayor was released without having to post any bail on the condition that he not have contact with witnesses or people named in the indictment. Parker said there would be exceptions for staff and family members, so long as he does not discuss the details of the indictment with them.
In the indictment unsealed on Thursday, federal prosecutors said Turkish diplomats and business people illegally funnelled money to Adams' campaign and showered him with luxury travel perks, including business-class airline tickets, opulent hotel stays and meals at high-end restaurants.
In exchange, Adams in 2021 pressured city officials to allow Turkey's new 36-storey consulate to open despite safety concerns, according to prosecutors.
A Turkish foreign ministry spokesperson said on Friday that Ankara was following the proceedings in Adams' case closely, and that its diplomats adhered to protocol.
"Our diplomatic missions carry out their duties in conformity with the Vienna Conventions and diplomatic traditions," the spokesperson said. "It is out of the question for us to interfere in the internal affairs of any country."
After the hearing, Spiro told reporters the accusations rested on the assertions of an Adams' staffer who falsely implicated Adams. He minimised the severity of the charges, and said he expected them to be dismissed.
"This isn't even a real case. This is the airline upgrade corruption case," Spiro said.
Political upheaval
Adams, a former police officer who rose to the rank of captain, is the first of the city's 110 mayors to be charged with a federal crime while in office.
The largest US city has been in a state of political upheaval for the past month as federal probes swirled around senior officials.
The police commissioner resigned on 12 September after FBI agents seized his phone. Days later, Adams' top legal adviser stepped down.
Jerry Nadler, a US Representative from Manhattan and the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, on Friday called on Adams to resign, joining a growing chorus of prominent city officials and lawmakers.
But two powerful Democratic lawmakers from Brooklyn, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, stopped short of doing so.
Adams could be removed from office by Democratic New York Governor Kathy Hochul, but the process is complicated, Pace University Law School professor Bennett Gershman said.
Hochul on Thursday said she would "review my options and obligations as the governor of New York".
'First stop is always Istanbul'
The alleged scheme dates back to 2014, when Adams became Brooklyn borough president, prosecutors said.
According to the indictment, Adams accepted free travel from Turkish Airlines worth tens of thousands of dollars while serving as Brooklyn borough president and paid $600 to stay two nights at a luxury suite in the St Regis hotel in Istanbul, well below the actual cost of $7000.
Prosecutors said Adams would fly on Turkish Airlines even when it was inconvenient. "You know first stop is always Istanbul," he wrote in a 2017 text message when his partner expressed surprise that they were flying from New York to Paris through Istanbul, according to the indictment.
Turkish Airlines did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday.
Adams also allegedly accepted foreign contributions to his 2021 mayoral campaign, which is illegal.
Prosecutors say Adams responded to Turkish concerns.
Acting on a request by a Turkish diplomat, Adams pressured city safety inspectors to allow the country's new consulate to open in time for a September 2021 visit by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, even though it would have failed a fire inspection, the indictment said.
Adams notified the diplomat when the Fire Department approved the building to open later in the day, the indictment said.
"You are a true friend of Turkey," the diplomat allegedly responded.
- Reuters