Guy Who Encourages Prosecution of Turnstile Jumpers Asks Public for Due Process in His Federal Case

"I ask New Yorkers to wait to hear our defense before making any judgments," the New York City Mayor told reporters amidst his federal indictment.

By Audra Heinrichs | September 26, 2024 | 3:36pm

Photo Credit: Andrew Lichtenstein News Politics Eric Adams

Guy Who Encourages Prosecution of Turnstile Jumpers Asks Public for Due Process in His Federal Case

On Thursday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams was charged with wire fraud, bribery and solicitation of a contribution by a foreign national, according to a lengthy 57-page federal indictment. For close to a decade, Adams allegedly engaged in bribery, sought out and accepted illegal contributions from foreign sources and corporations, and attempted to keep it all as hidden as he once did his place of residence, prosecutors from the Southern District of New York allege in the filing.

In a press conference that detailed the indictment, Damian Williams, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said Adams had “abused his privilege” as an elected official and broke the law–namely, by gleefully taking “illegal campaign contributions from foreign donors and corporations” and lying about it.

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“Mayor Adams took these contributions even though he knew they were illegal,” Williams told reporters, adding that the mayor knew the contributions were attempts “by a Turkish government official and Turkish businessmen to buy influence with him.”

Among the perks Adams allegedly received were more than $100,000 “in luxury travel benefits” including free international business class flights and discounted stays at lavish hotels like the St. Regis in Istanbul. According to Williams, Adams not only failed to disclose said gifts, but “told the public he received no gifts.” What did the mayor do in exchange for such a reward? In one instance, Adams is accused of intervening “in the New York City Fire Department’s inspection process for a building owned and operated by the Turkish government, allowing it to open even though it had not passed the fire inspection.” Smart!

“These are bright red lines and we allege that the mayor crossed them again and again for years,” Williams said. “That is the only reason we are here.”

Meanwhile, as one would have no trouble expecting, Adams held his own press conference to insist his innocence.

“I ask New Yorkers to wait to hear our defense before making any judgments,” Adams said, after promising to “fight this with every ounce of my strength and spirit” in a pre-recorded statement on Wednesday evening. Hmm. It’s almost like the guy whose spent his entire mayoral tenure at Zero Bond, policing poverty, sinking hundreds of millions into the NYPD budget, and hunting rats (not successfully, I might add) is asking the public for due process when he authorizes cops to cause bodily harm to people who jump subway turnstiles without…due process…

Adams has yet to step down (obviously) but it’s safe today most of the city (police, aside) are calling for him to. Not only was his press conference interrupted by protestors, but New York lawmakers like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have also decried his continued office.

“For the good of the city he should resign,” she told the New York Times on Thursday.

Come on, Adams. Be a hero for once. I’m sure you’ll still be able to go to Zero Bond…at least until *fingers crossed* prison.