diamond game Friday Briefing: Mayor’s Adams’s Arraignment
Mayor Eric Adams was defiant yesterday in the face of five federal charges of bribery, fraud and soliciting illegal foreign campaign donations. Numerous elected officials have called for him to quitdiamond game, including several Democrats running against him in next year’s primary. He insisted he would stay in office and fight the charges.
The judge in the case ordered Adams to appear in court today for an arraignment, but a lawyer for Adams asked the hearing be moved to early next week. When the arraignment takes place, Adams will be formally informed of his rights and will enter a plea.
Details: Prosecutors said the scheme began in 2014 when Adams was a top elected official in Brooklyn and continued after he became mayor. The investigation focused on whether Adams had “accepted improper valuable benefits,” and illegal campaign donations from the Turkish government to act on its behalf. Adams is said to have pressured Fire Department officials to permit a new Turkish consulate building to open despite safety problems.
The benefits included luxury travel — free and discounted Turkish Airlines tickets and free meals and hotel rooms. Adams tried to hide the gifts or make it appear as if he had paid for them, according to the indictment. Their value exceeded $100,000, prosecutors said.
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SKIP ADVERTISEMENTA closer look: Here’s an annotated look at the charges the mayor is facing.
What’s next: If he is convicted of all five counts, the maximum penalty under law would be 45 years in prison. But under the federal sentencing guidelines, he would most likely receive a much shorter prison term.
Gov. Kathy Hochul, who can remove the mayor, said that she was reviewing the charges and weighing the decision before her.
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