Mayor Eric Adams
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The Department of Justice has officially called for the federal corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams to be dropped, sparking outrage.
On Monday evening (February 10), federal prosecutors in Manhattan received a letter from Emil Bove, the acting number 2 official at the Department of Justice directing them to drop the federal charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Bove’s reasoning for calling for the dismissal of the charges was that they hindered Adams from being able to assist with the crackdown on immigrants in New York City, in addition to questioning the timing of Adams’ trial date in April being so close to the Democratic primary in June. “The Justice Department has reached this conclusion without assessing the strength of the evidence or the legal theories on which the case is based,” the memo read in part. There has been no word yet on the cases against other members of his cabinet arrested on similar charges.
The letter from Bove also appeared to suggest that the Justice Department made the decision believing Adams’ unsubstantiated allegations that the charges of wire fraud, soliciting illegal foreign campaign contributions from foreign nationals, conspiracy, and bribery were brought by the Biden administration because of his disagreement with them over how to handle the influx of migrants into New York City. One notable element of the letter shows that the request to drop charges was “without prejudice,” meaning that the DOJ has the option to revisit the case in the future. The decision to dismiss now falls upon Danielle Sassoon, the acting head of the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan, who could proceed with dropping the charges or decide not to. The latter choice could result in her being fired.
Adams’ critics and political opponents immediately decried the DOJ memo and called out Adams for heavily pandering to Trump to get the charges dropped. “Eric Adams sold out New Yorkers to buy his own freedom, but he’ll never escape the label of worst mayor in NYC history,” wrote Democratic State Senator Jessica Ramos, an opponent of Adams in the upcoming mayoral primary election. Public Advocate Juumane Williams released a scathing statement against Adams after the news broke, writing: Mayor Adams adopted a strategy of selling out marginalized New Yorkers and our city’s values to avoid personal and legal accountability. Well, it worked. I hope it was worth it.”
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The Department of Justice has reportedly discussed dropping the federal charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams with Manhattan prosecutors.
According to reports, senior officials with the Department of Justice have discussed the future of the federal corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams and the possibility that the charges would be dropped outright. DOJ officials are slated to meet with prosecutors in Manhattan from the office of the Southern District of New York this week and with the legal defense team for Adams. The embattled mayor is slated to go on trial April 21 and has been in constant communication with President Donald Trump in recent weeks, including attending his inauguration and visiting him at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Trump has publicly supported Adams, stating that he would “take a look” at a pardon for him in a press briefing last month.
Sources close to the discussions have framed them as preliminary. The Southern District of New York declined to comment – since Damian Williams stepped down last month, the office has been run by Danielle R. Sassoon, a veteran prosecutor appointed by Trump on an interim basis. Speculation has risen that the Justice Department is seeking a fast resolution to the matter before Trump’s picks for the SDNY and the U.S. Attorney General (Jay Clayton and Pamela Bondi, respectively) are confirmed. According to the New York Times, Sassoon is in a precarious position – if she were to drop the charges, it would allow Adams to say that the charges shouldn’t have been brought in the first place. If she refused, she could be forced to resign or be fired.
The news comes amid rumors that Adams, who until early Thursday (Jan. 30) was out of the public eye dealing with illness, would potentially accept a pardon and then resign. Adams’ lawyer, Alex Spiro (who also represents Trump crony and tech billionaire Elon Musk) dismissed that theory to reporters. “No, he’s innocent,” he said. The same sources claim that Shapiro intimated to the DOJ officials that Adams would hinder further immigration crackdowns in New York City if he were still under indictment. “That is a complete lie.” Shapiro said when asked about that conversation.
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New York City Mayor Eric Adams is sick and has a limited public schedule, but details on what is ailing him have not been publicized.
Late Sunday evening (January 26), a spokesperson for New York City Mayor Adams informed the press that he was sick and was set to undergo a series of appointments with doctors and routine medical tests. “While Mayor Adams will continue to communicate constantly with staff and ensure city business continues undeterred, during this time, the mayor will have a limited public schedule,” Deputy Mayor for Communications Fabien Levy said in the statement, adding that he “has a right to privacy when it comes to personal matters, but we will continue to communicate in the unlikely event he is unable to fully discharge his duties on any particular day.”
Levy didn’t offer any details on what Adams is ailing from but said that he is “doing well” and that he is continuing to conduct phone calls related to the city’s business. His public schedule on Monday (January 27) only showed a meeting with senior administration officials at the beginning of the day, and his office has canceled his usual Tuesday off-topic Q&A session with the media. Adams has also waived his scheduled appearance in court on Wednesday (January 29) on federal corruption charges. The hearing concerned classified evidence in the case.
The 64-year-old has often touted his energy and health, attributing it to becoming a pescatarian in 2016 after being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. “No one is going to outwork me,” he said to a press gaggle earlier in January. “I am so committed authentically to New Yorkers.” Under city rules, if Adams is indisposed further, First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer would step in as “acting mayor.” If needed, Public Advocate Juumane Williams would take over as mayor with limited authority.
The news comes as Adams has been under intense scrutiny for attending the inauguration of President Donald Trump at the last minute, and sitting down with conservative reporters such as Tucker Carlson. The moves are seen as a way to curry favor with Trump to gain a federal pardon. Adams is set to undergo trial in April, a short time before the Democratic primary elections for mayor are set to begin.
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New York City Mayor Eric Adams sat down for an interview with Tucker Carlson, sparking more concern and drawing more criticism.
A day after attending the inauguration of President Donald Trump, New York City Mayor Eric Adams was more vocal about his criticisms of former President Joe Biden and his Democratic Party in an interview with Tucker Carlson. The interview, which was previously taped, aired Tuesday night (Jan. 21). “People often say, well, you know, ‘you don’t sound like a Democrat’ and ‘you seem to have left the party,’” Adams said in the interview at Gracie Mansion. “No, the party left me, and it left working-class people.” Adams has stated he will run for office again as a Democrat (he was once a registered Republican in 1990), but has cozied up to Republicans heavily in the last year since being federally indicted on corruption charges.
The 50-minute interview also showed Adams attacking former President Biden, stating that in conversations with aides in the White House, he was told to tone down his criticisms of the administration’s policies regarding migrants entering the U.S. “Basically, be a good Democrat, Eric,” Adams said to Carlson. “That was the basic overall theme.” He also related what another Biden aide told him: “Listen, this is like a gallstone. It’ll pass.” Carlson also touched on Adams’ five federal indictments. “I have no reason to suck up to you,” he said. “I thought it was ridiculous.” Adams responded gaily, ‘When I read it, I was like, where are the bags of cash?”
The interview was a sea change, as the embattled mayor had previously blasted Carlson as someone who “perpetuates racist, anti-immigrant propaganda.” Adams has been under fire after abruptly canceling his appearances at events to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Monday (Jan. 20) to attend Trump’s inauguration, and he offered no comments on Trump’s subsequent executive orders. State Senator Zellnor Myrie, who is running against Adams in the upcoming Democratic primary, ripped the interview in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
“If you’re busy tonight, you can catch him on the Steve Bannon podcast tomorrow.” Even one of Adams’ strongest allies, the Reverend Al Sharpton, questioned Adams’ intentions. “To say you’re not going to raise your eyebrows would be being dishonest,” Sharpton said in a segment on MSNBC. “I think this is going to cause a lot of us to say, ‘What is this all about?’”
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New York City Mayor Eric Adams was set to meet with Donald Trump in Florida, with many claiming he’s after a federal pardon.
A spokesperson for embattled New York City Mayor Eric Adams confirmed that he would be meeting with President-elect Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida on Thursday evening (January 16). “Mayor Adams has made quite clear his willingness to work with President-elect Trump and his incoming administration on behalf of New Yorkers — and that partnership with the federal government is critical to New York City’s success,” City Hall spokesman Fabian Levy said in an email. “The mayor looks forward to having a productive conversation with the incoming president on how we can move our city and country forward.”
The Democratic mayor’s meeting with Trump wasn’t on his public schedule for Friday (January 17) until early morning. The meeting is set for 1 P.M., where Adams said that the two will discuss “New Yorkers’ priorities”. The city will be funding the trip according to City Hall. Adams is the latest Democratic politician to meet with the president-elect; Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman recently visited Trump at Mar-a-Lago.
Adams’ visit comes months before he is to stand trial after being indicted on federal charges of wire fraud, bribery, and accepting illegal campaign contributions from foreign nationals. Adams was accused of pressuring the New York City Fire Department to approve a new high-rise building for the Turkish Consulate despite prominent safety issues with the construction. He also allegedly accepted over $100,000 in luxury travel, including hotel accommodations from Turkey and other nations. Trump has been publicly sympathetic to Adams, even hinting that he could pardon him after beginning his second term in the White House. Adams has also stated that he was interested in attending the inauguration next Monday in Washington, D.C.
The visit has drawn numerous critics, who see it as another brazen ploy to obtain a federal pardon. “Eric Adams should state immediately that he will not seek or accept a pardon from Donald Trump,” Brad Lander, the New York City comptroller, said to the New York Times. “New Yorkers deserve to know that their mayor is putting their interests ahead of his own.” Others such as Rolling Stone contributor Noah Shachtman took a more sarcastic tone. “It’s such a relief to know that the mayor is spending every waking moment looking out for the people of New York,” he wrote in a post on BlueSky.
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The former chief adviser to New York City Mayor Eric Adams and her son officially turned themselves in to face bribery charges.
On Thursday morning (December 19), Ingrid Lewis-Martin turned herself in to face corruption and bribery charges. She and her son, Glenn Martin II, were seen heading into the lower Manhattan offices of District Attorney Alvin Bragg. Lewis-Martin was the chief adviser to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, but she resigned abruptly on Sunday, citing a wish to spend more time with her family.
The charges of bribery facing Lewis-Martin include her son being given a $100,000 loan to purchase a Porsche by two businessmen after she allegedly helped them resolve an issue they encountered with the city’s Department of Buildings while undergoing construction on a hotel property they owned. A lawyer for one of the businessmen, Mayank Dwivedi, said that his client had committed no wrongdoing. Martin, 38, is a professional DJ who has gained prominence working several events through the years thanks to his mother and Adams, including events at Brooklyn Borough Hall and at City Hall. Going by the name of “Suave Luciano”, he also performed as part of the city’s “Rise Up” concert series in 2022.
Lewis-Martin’s reporting to the district attorney’s office makes her the highest-ranking city official out of a dozen to date to face charges since Mayor Adams was himself indicted on federal corruption charges in September. “I’m being falsely accused of something,” she said in a press conference. “I don’t know exactly what it is, but I know that I was told that it’s something that’s illegal, and I have never done anything illegal in my capacity in government.” The 63-year-old politician has been a staunch ally to Mayor Adams for decades, remarking that she is his “sister ordained by God.” A press conference by the D.A.’s office is set for Thursday afternoon.
The situation takes place during a week that has seen Mayor Adams undergo difficulties related to his case. On Monday (December 16), the city’s campaign finance board denied his re-election campaign $4.3 million in public funding. The following day, his request to move his April 2025 trial date up was denied by a federal judge.
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Donald Trump hosted a news conference this week at his Mar-a-Lago residence that covered a variety of topics for the incoming president-elect. Of Donald Trump’s comments made during the conference, some took note of the fact that he said he would consider pardoning New York Mayor Eric Adams if he is convicted.
Donald Trump, 78, was asked by media in attendance at the conference if he would consider pardoning Mayor Adams, who has been accused of abusing the power of his office by taking travel benefits from Turkey’s leadership and was accused of asking for illegal campaign donations from the nation. Trump said that Adams had been targeted unfairly by federal prosecutors, something he feels has happened to him as well regarding his legal matters in the state of New York.
Shortly after Trump’s event, Mayor Adams held a news conference on Monday and believes that he shouldn’t face charges in connection with his dealings with Turkish officials.
“I have an attorney that is going to look at every avenue to ensure I get justice,” Adams said. “I did nothing wrong.”
Adams’ defense attorney is Alex Spiro, who also represents Jay-Z and has done so for Elon Musk, a Trump ally, in the past.
Some observers believe Adams is cozying up to Trump and his political agenda concerning illegal immigration in exchange for a potential pardon should he face legal ramifications in connection to the donations from Turkey.
[h/t New York Times]
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The chief adviser to New York City Mayor Eric Adams resigned without warning over the weekend, as news broke of her impending indictment.
On Sunday (December 15), Ingrid Lewis-Martin, the top adviser to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, resigned from her position. The move comes three months after she was subpoenaed by federal investigators and amid reports that a grand jury is seeking to indict her. Lewis-Martin, 63, said in a statement that she is stepping down to spend more time with her family.
“I thank God, first and foremost, for allowing me to serve the city that I love for close to 35 years through volunteerism and employment,” she said in the statement. “While I previously announced my retirement, this is still a bittersweet moment for me as government has been my life’s work.” Lewis-Martin has been a staunch ally of Mayor Adams for close to four decades, from his time as a New York City Police Department officer to holding the highest position in the city.
In a separate statement, Mayor Adams wrote that she “has not been just a friend, a confidante and trusted adviser, but also a sister.” He continued: “We’ve always talked about when this day would come, and while we’ve long planned for it, it is still hard to know that Ingrid won’t be right next door every day. I, and every New Yorker, owe her a debt of gratitude for her decades of service to our city.”
According to reports, Manhattan prosecutors who have been investigating allegations of corruption by Lewis-Martin have presented evidence to a grand jury, with the possibility of an indictment being announced this week. Federal agents seized her phones in September after she arrived at John F. Kennedy Airport from a vacation to Japan with colleagues. Sources close to the investigation state that the focus is on bribery and money laundering being part of the city’s commercial leasing properties. Federal agents also searched her Brooklyn home and seized the phones of her son and colleagues the same day.
For Mayor Adams, his adviser’s resignation is a gut punch. Lewis-Martin’s departure is the latest in a string of those in his administration who have resigned early and after Adams’ federal indictment in September. Mayor Adams is set to go to trial on charges of corruption in April 2025, months before his re-election campaign officially kicks off.
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The chief adviser to New York City Mayor Eric Adams resigned without warning over the weekend, as news broke of her impending indictment.
On Sunday (December 15), Ingrid Lewis-Martin, the top adviser to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, resigned from her position. The move comes three months after she was subpoenaed by federal investigators and amid reports that a grand jury is seeking to indict her. Lewis-Martin, 63, said in a statement that she is stepping down to spend more time with her family.
“I thank God, first and foremost, for allowing me to serve the city that I love for close to 35 years through volunteerism and employment,” she said in the statement. “While I previously announced my retirement, this is still a bittersweet moment for me as government has been my life’s work.” Lewis-Martin has been a staunch ally of Mayor Adams for close to four decades, from his time as a New York City Police Department officer to holding the highest position in the city.
In a separate statement, Mayor Adams wrote that she “has not been just a friend, a confidante and trusted adviser, but also a sister.” He continued: “We’ve always talked about when this day would come, and while we’ve long planned for it, it is still hard to know that Ingrid won’t be right next door every day. I, and every New Yorker, owe her a debt of gratitude for her decades of service to our city.”
According to reports, Manhattan prosecutors who have been investigating allegations of corruption by Lewis-Martin have presented evidence to a grand jury, with the possibility of an indictment being announced this week. Federal agents seized her phones in September after she arrived at John F. Kennedy Airport from a vacation to Japan with colleagues. Sources close to the investigation state that the focus is on bribery and money laundering being part of the city’s commercial leasing properties. Federal agents also searched her Brooklyn home and seized the phones of her son and colleagues the same day.
For Mayor Adams, his adviser’s resignation is a gut punch. Lewis-Martin’s departure is the latest in a string of those in his administration who have resigned early and after Adams’ federal indictment in September. Mayor Adams is set to go to trial on charges of corruption in April 2025, months before his re-election campaign officially kicks off.
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According to city officials, a controversial voucher program for migrants in New York City to get food using debit cards is ending.
New York City announced that it will discontinue a program that gave vouchers to migrants to pay for food, putting an end to an initiative that had been long assailed by conservatives and associated pundits. The vouchers came in the form of prepaid debit cards. “As we move towards more competitive contracting for asylum seeker programs, we have chosen not to renew the emergency contract for this pilot program once the one-year term concludes,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement.
The program, which began in late March, provided debit cards for food and baby supplies to 2,600 migrants who arrived in the city and were staying in hotels funded by the city. The debit cards could only be used at convenience stores, bodegas, and supermarkets. They would be unusable at other businesses. Mobility Capital Finance, or MoCaFi, was the private company that won a no-bid, emergency contract for $400,000 to run the program for one year.
The program distributed the cards at the Roosevelt Hotel in midtown Manhattan to participants, totaling $3.2 million. It was a sea change from a previous food distribution system managed by another private medical company, DocGo, which obtained a $432 million contract from the city before troubling allegations forced the city to phase the contract out.
Conservatives have attacked the program since its creation, claiming it was ripe for fraud, but no instances of bad behavior with the debit cards have occurred. City Comptroller Brad Lander also previously revoked the city’s ability to enter into emergency deals for migrant services. While an estimated 700 migrants are entering New York City each week seeking asylum, 1,000 are making their way out. Mayor Adams William Fowler, a spokesperson at City Hall, said that Mayor Adams is open to potentially pursuing the installment of a similar program in the future. “We will continue to implement and learn from innovative pilot programs like the immediate response cards program as we care for hundreds of new arrivals every week,” he said in an interview.