Eric Adams has been mayor of New York since 2022, but recently there have been more and more allegations against the ex-police officer. Now Adams has been officially charged – but he doesn’t want to resign.
Charges have been brought against New York Mayor Eric Adams: The 64-year-old Democrat is accused, among other things, of bribery, fraud and illegally recruiting and accepting foreign campaign donations. The public prosecutor’s office in the US metropolis said that the allegations went back at least to 2014, when Adams was still mayor of Brooklyn.
Among other things, Adams is said to have accepted benefits worth more than $100,000 (around 90,000 euros) for international luxury travel – such as flights, hotel stays and restaurant visits – from various people, including an employee of the Turkish government, said prosecutor Damian Wiliams at a press conference. In return, Adams put pressure on the fire department to pass the fire safety inspection of the Turkish consulate in Manhattan. Adams crossed “clear red lines,” Williams said. The investigation is ongoing.
“I will continue to do the job I was elected to do.”
Adams defended himself at an impromptu press conference in front of his official residence, Gracie Mansion, which had been searched by investigators early in the morning. “Anyone who knows me knows that I follow campaign rules and laws.” He won’t resign. “I will continue to do the job I was elected to do.”
The evening before, Adams had already addressed the impending indictment and described any allegations as “completely false and based on lies.” He is “innocent” and will fight the allegations “with every ounce of my strength and spirit.” He always knew that if he stood up for the citizens of New York, he could become a target himself. According to US media reports, this is the first indictment for federal crimes against a sitting New York mayor in the modern history of the metropolis.
There are also calls for resignation from within his own party
Former police officer Adams has been city hall boss since January 2022, but hasn’t been able to achieve much so far. Recently things have been turbulent in his city government: several Adams employees are being investigated for various allegations and there have been numerous resignations. Adams’ popularity ratings plummeted and calls for his resignation became louder and louder, most recently even from within his own ranks.
“I cannot see how Mayor Adams can continue to govern New York City,” Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, a prominent New York representative in the US House of Representatives, wrote before the official announcement of the indictment of X. “For the good of the city, he should resign.”
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
