Mayor Eric Adams
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New York City Mayor Eric Adams could be in some serious trouble.
The socialite who sometimes masquerades as New York City’s Mayor had his phones seized by the FBI as part of an ongoing federal investigation into fundraising.
Spotted on CNN, the feds popped up Mayor Eric Adams and seized phones and an iPad after securing a court-authorized warrant, a person close to the matter said.
Per CNN:
The seizure is a dramatic escalation of the federal probe into whether foreign money was funneled to his campaign, bringing it directly to the mayor, a Democrat. The investigation is being handled by the FBI and the US attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York. Adams has not been accused of any wrongdoing so far, but he is the latest politician to come under scrutiny for ties to foreign governments – in his case Turkey.
The seizure came days after the FBI raided the home of Adams’ chief fundraiser as part of the investigation to determine whether the mayor’s 2021 campaign conspired with a Brooklyn-based construction company to funnel foreign money into campaign coffers.
Prosecutors Had To Convince A Judge There Was Probable Cause To Seize Adams’ Phones
According to the New York Times, to seize Mayor Adams’ devices, prosecutors had to convince a judge they had probable cause that there was evidence of a crime on the electronic devices.
Adams said he had nothing to hide in a statement sent to CNN on Friday, November 10.
“As a former member of law enforcement, I expect all members of my staff to follow the law and fully cooperate with any sort of investigation — and I will continue to do exactly that,” the mayor said. “I have nothing to hide.”
Two sources close to the matter told CNN that FBI agents “walked right up to him” on the street and seized his devices following him giving a speech at New York University’s Kimmel Center Monday. ]
Welp.
It’s going to be interesting to see how this plays out.
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The home of a top consultant to New York City Mayor Eric Adams was raided by the FBI, prompting Adams to cancel a major trip to head back to the city.
In the early morning hours on Thursday (Nov. 2), agents with the FBI conducted a raid on the Crown Heights home of Brianna Suggs. Suggs is the top fund-raiser for New York City Mayor Eric Adams and an esteemed campaign consultant of his. Suggs was also reportedly questioned by agents, who left with three iPhones, two computers and files bearing Adams’ name from her home. Federal agents also executed the search warrant at the KSK Construction Group in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, in addition to other residences. Investigators are also looking into a small college outside of Washington D.C. with ties to Turkey.
Suggs has been a strong fund-raiser for Mayor Adams, helping his successful campaign obtain $18.4 million in funding. She was also working on his 2025 reelection campaign, with reports saying that $900,000 has been raised so far. The FBI warrant is tied to an ongoing investigation to determine whether Adams’ campaign conspired with the construction company and the Turkish government to direct foreign money to the campaign by using straw donors in 2021. Adams has previously been vocal about his trips to Turkey, saying, “I think I’m on my sixth or seventh visit,” during a flag-raising ceremony for the nation in lower Manhattan last week.
News of the raid led Mayor Adams to abruptly cancel a series of meetings with other city mayors in Washington D.C. concerning the ongoing migrant crisis in New York to head back home with his team. When asked about his hurried return by reporters later that evening at a Dia De Los Muertos event at Gracie Mansion, he said he would comply with any inquiries from federal authorities. “I feel extremely comfortable about how I comply with rules and procedures,” Adams said. “I hold myself to a high standard, and I hold my campaign to a high standard, and I hold my staff at City Hall to a high standard.”
The raid comes weeks after another high-ranking figure close to Mayor Adams, former city buildings commissioner Eric Ulrich, was indicted and charged with using his position to extract bribes in the form of cash and other gifts for favors, which included access to Mayor Adams.
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The New York Police Department will have a futuristic member in its ranks as a “robocop” will begin patrolling the subway station at Times Square.
As Gothamist reports, last Friday (Sept. 22) the Knightscope K5 Autonomous Security Robot was unveiled to the public at a press conference held underground at the 42nd Street-Times Square subway station. Mayor Eric Adams was on hand with the NYPD to announce that the city was launching a two-month program to test the K5 robot. “I’ve gone a long way from being a transit cop, to being next to a robot,” Adams said to reporters, grinning as he stood next to it. “We’re going to keep us safe no matter which way we do it.”
The K5 robot, shaped like a small rocket and painted white with glowing blue lights to indicate that it’s on and functioning, checks in at 5-foot-2 in height. Boasting a giant camera for a face, it will be accompanied as it roams throughout the station by officers who will be trained in its functions and introduce it to the public. The K5 has 360-degree vision and moves at 3 miles per hour. It won’t access the subway platforms.
“It will record video that can be viewed in case of an emergency or a crime. It will not record audio, and it will not use facial recognition. However, the K5 does have a button that connects you immediately to a live person that New Yorkers can utilize 24/7 with questions, concerns or to report an incident if needed,” said Mayor Adams. The K5’s camera will be part of the NYPD’s surveillance network in the subways.
Knightscope, the company behind the K5, states that their robot has been deployed in 10 states to 30 clients, including hospitals and shopping malls. There have been incidents where similar machines were attacked in other cities in Northern California including San Francisco. “If you come here and damage K5 or commit any crime in the subway system, prepare to be identified and arrested,” said NYPD Transit Chief Michael Kemper.
Mayor Adams also touted that it will be cost-effective to taxpayers as the city is leasing the robot for $9 an hour. “This is a good investment of taxpayer dollars,” he stated. “This is below minimum wage, no bathroom breaks, no meal breaks.” The K5 will operate from 12 A.M. to 6 A.M., with the city assessing its results after two months.
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Mayor Eric Adams is under fire for explosive comments regarding the cost of migrants entering New York City from southern states at a town hall.
At a town hall organized by his office on the Upper West Side in Manhattan on Wednesday night (September 6th), Adams delivered his strongest comments to date on the consistent flow of migrants into the city and their impact on its resources. “Never in my life have I had a problem that I did not see an ending to. I don’t see an ending to this,” he said before continuing, “This issue will destroy New York City. … All of us are going to be impacted by this. I said it last year when we had 15,000, and I’m telling you now at 110,000. The city we knew, we’re about to lose.”
He spoke about the financial ramifications of migrants coming into the city who get aid through the city’s law guaranteeing a right to shelter for those who are in need. “Every community in this city is going to be impacted,” Adams said before pointing to projections that state that New York City could see sizable budget cuts to cover a $12 billion deficit. To date, 200 emergency sites and traditional city shelters have taken in 60,000 people who have crossed the southern border of the U.S., arriving in the city through buses.
The mayor also voiced his frustrations with President Joe Biden and his administration over not providing enough support to the city during the situation. The White House released a statement defending their response, highlighting the $140 million in federal funds given to the city and New York State, firmly stating that “only Congress can reform our broken immigration system and provide additional resources to communities across the country.”
Adams’ comments were quickly amplified by Republican leaders – some of whom applauded the busing of migrants from Texas by Governor Greg Abbott and other southern states. “It has gotten so bad, even the leaders of Democrat strongholds like New York City and Massachusetts are throwing in the towel,” GOP House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California said in a statement to the press. His fellow Democrats and immigrant advocates have chastised the mayor for his comments. “The mayor should know better. The contributions of the immigrant community here have been seismic,” said New York Immigration Coalition executive director Murad Awawdeh.
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A new report has found that the New York Police Department has committed thousands of pedestrian stops under Mayor Eric Adams – with only 5% of those stopped being white.
According to a report by the New York Civil Liberties Union, since Adams began his tenure as mayor, the NYPD’s renewed policy of stopping people is at its highest point since 2015 and trending upwards. While fewer people are being detained as a result of these stops, there is a starker racial disparity found in the breakdown of those stopped with white people only making up 5% of that group overall.
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The report shows that police stopped 8,502 people in the first half of 2023, a low number in comparison to the 700,000 that were registered during the height of the infamous “stop-and-frisk” era under former Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The policy was effectively abandoned once former Mayor Bill de Blasio was in office due to federal pressure. But a closer look does note some glaring issues, such as those found on the forms NYPD officers are required to fill out for every stop. 92% of those stops were apparently because someone “fit a relevant description” or “other”. The report also noted that precincts in The Bronx, Harlem along with Midtown Manhattan and the central and eastern areas of Brooklyn had the highest stop rates this year so far.
An NYPD spokesperson issued a statement that cited that officers make stops “with increasing levels of precision” based on their observations and that they carry out all of their duties “without consideration of race or ethnicity”. This conflicts with a New York Daily News article in June that obtained quotes from officers in five different commands that they were being urged to issue low-level summonses, potentially in line with Adams’ consistent strategy of using pedestrian stops for public safety.
“The good news is there are definitely fewer [stops] happening, but the alarming thing is that the racial disparities and the apparent racial profiling continues,” said NYCLU legal director Chris Dunn. “Many more Black and Latino people are being stopped without any justification whatsoever.” He estimates that NYPD officers aren’t documenting any civilian stops that don’t result in a summons or arrest.
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As Hip-Hop pioneers, Run-DMC’s legacy is undeniable and New York City is cementing it further by giving the group its own day.
Through a press release, it was announced that New York City Mayor Eric Adams bestowed Rev. Joseph “Run” Simmons and Darryl “DMC” McDaniels with a proclamation declaring an official “Run-DMC Day”, which will forever be celebrated on August 9th. The news comes as the Hollis, Queens group was feted with the Run-DMC Pop-Up Celebration by Adidas Originals. The group made the news public through their Instagram page.
“Coinciding with the group’s Friday (August 11th) return to headline the Hip Hop 50 Live Concert, the pop-up gives fans access to merchandise from Barriers Worldwide and the Crate NY in addition to coolers in partnership with Igloo and other Run-DMC novelty merchandise items,” the press release also stated, taking time to acknowledge the group’s longstanding partnership with Adidas. The pop-up will run through August 12th at Bleecker Street Trading in Manhttan.
The honor comes as the group is fresh off of their sensational performance at the Rock The Bells Festival at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, New York last Saturday. They will also be performing at the Hip Hop 50 Live concert to be held at Yankee Stadium, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the culture since the first jam held by DJ Kool Herc at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in The Bronx in 1973. It adds to a run some believed to be their final one, as DMC had stated before in an interview with Rock The Bells that the group would take its final onstage bow this past April.
“Run-DMC is over,” he said at the time. “The only way Run-DMC gets back together is if The Beatles get back together. Can that happen?” He continued: “The final show that we are ever going to do is going to be at Madison Square Garden in April. It’s going to be the last episode of the documentary we’re doing. Run-DMC’s last show ever. ‘Cause it’s time for Run to go be Paul McCartney and me to be John Lennon. We done did what we could do.”
McDaniels and Simmons, along with the late Jason “Jam Master Jay” Mizell, forever shaped Hip-Hop culture with their debut album in 1983. Attaining superstardom, the group was honored with a Lifetime Achievement award from the Grammy Awards in 2016.
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New York City is throwing Hip-Hop a huge birthday bash throughout its five boroughs, as Mayor Eric Adams announced a series of block parties that will be held next month.
On Thursday, Mayor Adams held a press conference at City Hall to announce the 5×5 Block Party Series, which will be held in each of the city’s five boroughs. They will be thrown by the city in conjunction with ITSALLBLACKMUSIC PRESENTS. Each will feature a lineup of DJs as well as food vendors, artists, and educational and entertainment talks in prime locations essential to the history of the culture.
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Mayor Adams was joined at the press conference by Eric B and Boogie Down Productions founder and MC, KRS-One. The icon “will collaborate with the city as well to help curate and perform at the block parties,” as expressed in a statement released later by the city. The “Outta Here” artist even kicked a freestyle for the gathered crowd at the behest of Adams.
The first of the block parties will take place on August 5th at Fulton Street and Washington Avenue in Brooklyn. The location is known for being a block away from the house where rapper The Notorious B.I.G. grew up. The second will be in Queens on August 6th, at Vernon Boulevard and 41st Avenue near the Queensbridge Houses where Nas and Mobb Deep grew up. The birthplace of Hip-Hop, 1520 Sedgwick in The Bronx, will have its own celebration on Aug. 12th. Dates and locations for Manhattan and Staten Island are expected to be announced soon.
The lineups for each block party haven’t been announced yet, but This comes on the heels of the city announcing that there will be 50 murals created across the city in collaboration with LISA Project NYC. The city is also working with Pixis Drones to create light shows with “iconic Hip-Hop imagery” at each party, which will run until 9:30 PM.
“New York should be celebrating a genre that we created,” Adams, who calls himself “the Hip-Hop Mayor”, said. “We raised it on the streets of New York, and it has gone out to cascade throughout the entire globe.” He continued, “This summer we’re going to do more than reminisce on hip-hop, we’re going to celebrate it and elevate it. So I encourage New Yorkers to step into the world where hip-hop is on our blocks this summer.”
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New York City Mayor Eric Adams was met with displays of disapproval at a law school graduation, with some publicly turning their backs on him.
Last Friday (May 12th), Sudha Setty, the City University of New York School of Law dean, introduced Mayor Adams to the crowd of graduates and families. As she made note of his record as a police officer, boos steadily rose from the crowd. As he took to the stage to speak, many of the graduates visibly turned their backs on him. Others present at the closed-door event stated that there were more boos and derisive words shouted, with one source claiming to see a couple of raised middle fingers directed towards him.
Adams seemed undeterred by the protests. “We have a lot of challenges, a lot of things that it needs discipline. And just as you see these graduates here, I know what it is to protest,” he said, which was met by yells from the crowd. As he concluded his remarks which at some points were met by applause, he did note the backlash. “We’re watching a clear lack of desire to even participate in healthy dialogue,” he said. “My message today to the graduates,” Adams continued, “my message to those who believe that their beliefs are the only beliefs in a diversified city like New York, my message to you, instead of being a detached spectator in the full contact sport called life, get on the field and participate about improving the lives of the people of this city.”
The protests against Adams, reminiscent of how New York Police Department officers visibly shunned then-Mayor Bill de Blasio at a police funeral, come as he faces high criticism for refusing to condemn the murder of Jordan Neely by a white ex-Marine, Daniel Penny on a subway train. Adams also has been blasted for presenting a city budget that would cut 235 faculty and staff positions from CUNY’s network, which has been rallied against by students and professors.
“He’s committed to carceral discrimination against the poor, even if he was an internal reformer when he was in the police,” said Genevieve Ward, a second-year student who saw a video of the speech. “It’s disingenuous for himself to align his interest in police with the interests of what we’re taught at CUNY,” she continued. “And also just the timing of it, with the killing of Jordan Neely and his absence of talking about it until two days ago.”
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The Big Apple’s leader is a man about town. Mayor Eric Adams was spotted attending his son’s record release party.
As spotted on Page Six the politician is back outside. This time he was in the house for his son’s big day. On Friday, March 17 Jordan Coleman hosted friends, family and music industry professionals to drinks, bites and sounds at Manhattan hotspot Sei. According to sources tapped in with the celebrity news outlet the rapper rented out the entire Asian fusion restaurant for the affair.
In the house was his father Mayor Eric Adams who was said to be in “full dad” mode to support his son’s aspirations to be a music star. He was said to be in a great mood and made sure to engage with the invited guests. Jordan is his only son with former girlfriend Chrisena Coleman. He is currently dating Tracey Collins, the Senior Youth Development Director for the New York City Department of Education. Since being sworn in on January, 1 2022 Eric Adams has gained the nickname of being the city’s first ever “Nightlife Mayor” due to being spotted at nightclubs on the weekends.
You can check out Jordan’s music below.
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A new report discloses that the majority of stops made by the New York Police Department last year consisted of Black & Latino drivers, furthering concern from social justice advocates.
According to reports, findings from a comprehensive compilation of data from the New York Civil Liberties Union showed that NYPD officers stopped, searched, and arrested Black & Latino drivers at a far higher rate than white drivers last year. The report showed that more than over 670,000 drivers were stopped last year. 15,000 of those stops led to arrests, with 49% of those drivers being Black and 39% being Latino.
“Race plays a big role in what happens to motorists after they get stopped and that number just jumps off the page,” NYCLU Legal Director Chris Dunn said. “Something is wrong when you see 9 out of ten people getting arrested are Black or Latino.” The report also detailed how the amount of those stopped was equal to the amount recorded at the height of the city’s stop-and-frisk era under former Mayor Michael Bloomberg in 2011.
The data revealed more disturbing facts about these stops by law enforcement. The Policing Project, a research group founded at New York University, found that the NYPD only recorded data concerning the race of the driver for just over 620,000 of the stops. Another fact was that in those stops where force was used and race was recorded, 92% of the cases reported involved Black and Latino drivers. It was also found that arrests occurred only 2.2% of the time after these stops.
The news comes as the NYPD is being criticized for its actions during these traffic stops, with reports of excessive force being inflicted and civilians being shot as they’re taking place. The Civilian Complaint Review Board has investigated numerous complaints by civilians over their treatment during these stops and substantiated hundreds of them by charging officers with violating policy.
“We know that doesn’t work. We know that does not fix crime problems and we see year after year, very few people are getting arrested as a result of stop and frisk,” Dunn concluded. “Most people are getting stopped and frisked are innocent people and they’re Black and brown New Yorkers.”
More scrutiny of this report comes weeks after the death of Tyre Nichols in Memphis after he was detained at a traffic stop on January 7th. To date, five officers involved in the beating that led to his death are currently awaiting trial after being fired, then indicted. New York City Mayor Eric Adams has defended the stops in the past on several occasions.