new York
CNN
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New York City’s mayor pleaded not guilty Friday to federal corruption charges after prosecutors accused him of using his power and influence to secure free trips, luxury hotel stays and questionable donations for his campaign.
Mayor Eric Adams is charged with bribery, wire fraud, conspiracy and two counts of soliciting campaign contributions from foreign nationals.
“I am not guilty, your honor,” Adams said Friday in federal court in Lower Manhattan.
Magistrate Judge Katharine Parker allowed Adams to be released after the hearing – but with reservations. The mayor cannot have contact with anyone involved in the allegations in the indictment.
Apart from this, the mayor can still maintain routine professional contacts and communicate with his family members. The judge also allowed Adams to keep his passport.
Adams’ appearance in court as a defendant stands in stark contrast to his crime-fighting work as a New York police captain — work he often touted during his political career.
The mayor, a Democrat elected in 2021, has denied any wrongdoing and said he has no plans to resign. “I look forward to defending myself and the people of this city as I have throughout my professional career,” Adams said Thursday.
Between 2016 and October 2023, Adams sought and accepted benefits such as free luxury trips and campaign donations from foreign businessmen, according to a 57-page, 15,000-word indictment.
Adams allegedly committed 23 different “overt acts,” including accepting free flights and hotel rooms and coordinating straw donations.
Prosecutors say the foreign nationals were able to circumvent federal law and hide their campaign donations through these “straw donors” — U.S.-based donors who falsely claimed to contribute their own money.
In 2017, Adams allegedly accepted free business class tickets for three round-trip international flights and a discounted stay in a suite at the St. Regis Istanbul. The trip was worth more than $41,000 and Adams failed to disclose it, according to the indictment.
Adams allegedly accepted more than $123,000 in luxury travel benefits between 2016 and 2021, without disclosing anything.
In 2018, the mayor allegedly “not only accepted, but sought illegal contributions to his 2021 mayoral campaign, as well as other items of value, from foreign nationals.”
In January 2022, he agreed to accept foreign money contributions to his 2025 campaign, according to the indictment.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s team told allies and other stakeholders that it is now seriously considering removing Adams from office – a power it has under state law. State.
A source briefed on the governor’s thinking told CNN that Hochul increasingly came to view Adams’ situation as “untenable.” But no decision has been announced.
Before Adams’ indictment was unsealed, Hochul apparently did not consider impeaching the mayor. But after reviewing the indictment, the governor suggested in a statement Thursday evening that she was leaving her options open.
“I hope that the Mayor will take the next few days to review the situation and find an appropriate path forward to ensure that the people of New York City are well-served by their leaders,” Hochul said.
Lawyers in the governor’s office have begun reviewing the legal language of the eviction authority, another source familiar with the matter told CNN.
Although many local lawmakers have called for Adams’ resignation, some prominent New York Democrats in Congress have been less vocal. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer both stopped short of calling for Adams’ resignation in their most recent remarks.
“No one is above the law, including the mayor of New York,” Schumer said in a written statement Thursday. “The charges are serious and the legal process must now proceed quickly and fairly. »
But Jeffries could face pressure from candidates for the New York House of Representatives, fearing that the Adams scandal could hurt their chances of being elected.
Adams is “entitled to the presumption of innocence,” Jeffries said, and “a jury of the mayor’s peers will now evaluate the charges in the indictment and ultimately render a decision.”
Hochul and Adams have a good working relationship. Both have partnered on public safety issues, including crime in the city’s state-controlled subways. This relationship is a significant improvement from years past, when former New York City mayors and governors openly feuded over city policies and funding.
The Rev. Al Sharpton, a longtime political activist, will convene the city’s black leaders this weekend, according to a person familiar with the matter.
Sharpton is aware of the many “complexities” of Adams’ situation and wants to explore all possibilities, the source said. Sharpton is also concerned about the impact the ordeal will have on the city, the source added.
Community representatives and legislators, including Jeffries, are expected to attend the meeting – although Jeffries’ participation has not been confirmed.
Jeffries and Adams have a lot in common, including their modest background and all-hands-on-the-wall campaigning style. But even though sources say the two New Yorkers respect each other, the two men have never been close.
The congressman is aware that calling for the mayor’s resignation “would imply a sense of guilt” — and it’s not something he would do or take lightly, according to a person familiar with Jeffries’ thinking.
For the moment, the mayor cannot go to work at town hall. Adams remains under arrest Friday morning and cannot leave the courthouse until the magistrate makes a decision on next steps.
After his arraignment Friday, Adams’ next appearance before a district judge is scheduled for Wednesday.
If convicted on all counts, Adams faces up to 45 years in prison, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The most serious charge is wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. This charge stems from allegations that Adams stole from New York City’s matching funds program.
The program is designed “to give New Yorkers a greater voice in elections” and matches donations from city residents with public funds. But it prohibits the use of straw donations, according to the indictment. The program requires candidates to certify their compliance with campaign finance regulations.
The indictment alleges that Adams not only received illegal campaign contributions, but then allegedly used eight of these improper donations to seek matching funds and obtained up to $2,000 for each contribution. illegal. His campaign then falsely certified compliance, the indictment says.
The indictment does not total the amount of matching public funds Adams allegedly received directly from the eight illegal straw donations. Adams’ 2021 mayoral campaign ultimately received more than $10 million in public funds from the city’s matching funds program, according to the indictment.
Corruption is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. This charge concerns the alleged quid pro quo of receiving luxury travel benefits from a Turkish official in exchange for endorsement by the Turkish House – a center for Turkish diplomatic missions in New York, the indictment states.
The two counts of soliciting campaign contributions from foreign nationals are each punishable by up to 5 years in prison. One of the charges is based on 2021 allegations and the other is based on 2023 allegations.
Finally, there is a charge of conspiracy, which carries a penalty of up to 5 years in prison. This indictment alleges that Adams “and other known and unknown persons” agreed to commit federal offenses, including wire fraud; solicit, accept and receive a campaign contribution; and corruption.
This story has been updated with additional information.
