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New York City Mayor Eric Adams is pleading not guilty to bribery and wire fraud charges in an indictment alleging he solicited foreign donations in return for official favors.
Mr. Adams, a Democrat, entered his plea in front of a packed federal courtroom in Manhattan.
“I am not guilty, your honor,” Mr. Adams told Magistrate Judge Katharine Parker after she described the charges.
Federal prosecutors say Mr. Adams illegally courted foreign donors, particularly from Turkey, and received over $100,000 in undisclosed benefits such as upgraded flights and luxury hotel stays. In return, the indictment says Mr. Adams extended favors such as muscling fire officials to approve a Turkish high-rise consulate despite safety concerns.
The indictment alleges Mr. Adams illegally funneled foreign money through straw donors, who posed as the sources of the funds, and leveraged the donations to qualify for $10 million in matching public funds under New York’s election system.
Mr. Adams faces five counts in the indictment: wire fraud, bribery, two counts of receiving campaign contributions from a foreign national, and conspiracy. If convicted of the most serious charge, wire fraud, he faces up to 20 years in prison.
SEE ALSO: NYC confronts uncertain future amid Mayor Eric Adams’ corruption charges
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, can suspend and remove Mr. Adams in a public process that allows the mayor to offer a defense. She hasn’t said if she will exercise that power but said she is looking at the situation closely.
Mr. Adams says he did nothing wrong and pleaded with New Yorkers to hear his defense before passing judgment.
“I ask New Yorkers to wait to hear our defense before making any judgments,” he said Thursday.
Mr. Adams’s attorney, Alex Spiro, said Friday the mayor is “innocent” and he planned to file a motion to dismiss the indictment.
“We expect these charges to be dismissed,” he said. “This case isn’t even a real case.”
Mr. Spiro said the indictment is based on claims from “one staffer” and “that staffer has lied.”
Several Democratic lawmakers, including “Squad” member Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, aren’t waiting and say he must step down.
Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York joined them Friday, saying the charges will impact Mr. Adams’s ability to lead the city.
Mr. Nadler, whose district covers a wide swath of Manhattan, said all defendants are entitled to due process and presumed innocent until proven guilty.
“However, there are questions of whether the mayor can continue to effectively lead our city as mayor at this time,” said Mr. Nadler, who’s served in the House for over three decades. “My belief is that the mayor has lost the ability to effectively lead the city of New York, and therefore, he must resign.”
If Mr. Adams steps down, New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams would take over as acting mayor and schedule a nonpartisan special election for mayor. That vote would occur within 90 days.
— AP contributed to this report.
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