NYC Mayor Eric Adams arrives for arraignment after being indicted on federal corruption charges: Live updates
The Democrat is the first sitting mayor in New York City modern history to face criminal charges
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New York City Mayor Eric Adams has arrived at Manhattan federal court, where he will be arraigned following charges of bribery, wire fraud, solicitation of contribution by a foreign national, and conspiracy.
Adams is the first sitting mayor in the city's modern history to face federal criminal charges.
US Attorneys in the Southern District of New York on Thursday unveiled a sprawling five-count indictment against Adams, accusing him of seeking and accepting “illegal campaign contributions to his 2021 mayoral campaign, as well as other things of value, from foreign nationals.”
The charges stem from a months-long federal investigation into his 2021 mayoral campaign and his ties to Turkish government officials and Turkish nationals.
Federal prosecutors are accusing Adams of accepting “illegal” campaign donations, funneled through a straw donor scheme, and accepting luxurious benefits in exchange for wielding his power to intervene in a fire inspection at the Turkey consulate.
Adams said he was “not surprised” by the charges and denied all allegations of wrongdoing.
He declared he would not step down from his position as the top official in New York City, despite current and former lawmakers calling upon him to resign.
Eric Adams tweet praising Diddy resurfaces as both are indicted
A tweet by New York City Mayor Eric Adams praising disgraced music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs has resurfaced after both men were indicted on federal criminal charges.
The social media message, which was posted in September last year, reads: “He might be the ‘bad boy’ of entertainment, but Sean Combs will forever be a New York City kid who made good.
Read more:
Eric Adams tweet praising Diddy resurfaces as both are indicted
New York City Mayor wrote that Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs ‘will forever be a New York City kid who made good’
Free upgrades, campaign donations and the Bentley suite: How Eric Adams allegedly traveled the world on Turkey’s dime
Eric Adams will be arraigned in Manhattan federal court today at 12 p.m. ET.
Catch up on everything you need to know about the charges he’s facing ahead of the hearing from The Independent’s Justin Rohrlich:
How Eric Adams allegedly traveled the world on Turkey’s dime
New York City Mayor Eric Adams was tripped up, in large part, by his taste for the finer things in life, according to a bombshell 57-page indictment unsealed Thursday
Governor Kathy Hochul has power to remove Eric Adams as mayor
Governor Kathy Hochul has the legal power to remove Eric Adams as mayor of New York City, The New York Times reports.
However, she did not address those powers in a statement on Thursday night about the indictment.
“I expect the mayor to take the next few days to review the situation and find an appropriate path forward to ensure the people of New York City are being well-served by their leaders,” Hochul said, according to the Times. “We must give New Yorkers confidence that there is steady, responsible leadership at every level of government.”
See it: Eric Adams arrives at Manhattan courthouse
New York City Mayor Eric Adams has arrived at Manhattan federal court ahead of his arraignment, scheduled for 12 p.m. ET.
Trump: Adams ‘was indicted for criticizing Biden’s migrant policy'
Donald Trump appeared to suggest that Eric Adams had been indicted after criticizing the Biden administration’s policy on “illegal migrants.”
Speaking at a press conference at Trump Tower on Thursday, the former president said that although he did not know Adams well, he had been “fairly generous to me in his statements.”
He then claimed he had predicted the mayor’s arrest and subsequent indictment over a year previously.
“I watched about a year ago when he talked about how the illegal migrants are hurting our city and the federal government should pay us and we shouldn’t have to take them, and I said ‘you know what, he’ll be indicted within the year’ and I was exactly right,” he said.
Read more below.
Trump says he believes Eric Adams indicted for criticizing Biden’s migrant policy
Speaking at a press conference at Trump Tower on Thursday the former president wished Adams ‘luck’ before admitting he did not know ‘anything about what he did’
The wild and weird moments of a chaotic mayorship
Adams is no stranger to controversy, having been the subject of multiple gaffes and meme-worthy moments since he took office two years ago.
Mike Bedigan charts some of the wild and weird moments of his mayorship.
Read the full report below.
From Rat Czar to Fishgate: The wild and weird moments of Eric Adams’ mayorship
Adams is no stranger to controversy, however, having been the subject of multiple gaffes and meme-worthy moments since he took office two years ago
Background to the case, according to prosecutors
Prosecutors say Adams, who denies the charges, has been taking bribes and foreign campaign contributions since at least 2014, when he was elected Brooklyn Borough president.
Since then, the indictment alleges, Adams has continued to seek out accept, “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.”
All told, he took more than $100,000 in luxury “travel benefits” and solicited campaign contributions from straw donors, allowing him to rake in at least $10 million in public funds for his campaiang, prosecutors alleged.
Catch up on everything you need to know about the case in our report.
NYC mayor Eric Adams indicted: All you need to know about FBI probe
Democrat is fighting for his political career after becoming New York City’s first mayor to be indicted while in office
Recap: Eric Adams due in court today
Welcome back to our live coverage.
Eric Adams is due to appear in court today where he will be arraigned.
The New York City Mayor was yesterday charged with bribery, wire fraud, solicitation of contribution by a foreign national, and conspiracy.
As reports swirled on Wednesday night that Adams had been indicted, federal agents swooped on the mayor’s official residence, Gracie Mansion, in the early hours of yesterday morning.
The indictment was unsealed yesterday by US Attorneys in the Southern District of New York.
Adams, who denies all the allegations, is expected to appear in court at noon ET.
This live blog is now paused.
Check back later for updates.
Watch: DOJ says Eric Adams accepted $100,000 of undisclosed luxury tips from Turkey
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