Mayor Eric Adams has a light public schedule Sunday two days after answering to a historic indictment Friday in federal court on charges of bribery, soliciting illegal foreign campaign donations and wire fraud.
The mayor is expected to attend Emmanuel Presbyterian Reformed Church in the Bronx at 12:30 p.m. on Sept. 29 for the parish’s 25th anniversary celebration. It is the only public event listed on his daily itinerary from the Mayor’s office.
On Saturday, Adams visited the Greater Allen AME Cathedral in St. Albans, Queens, where he addressed churchgoers as part of the installation ceremony for the cathedral’s new pastor. The mayor did not address the indictment head-on during his remarks.
The mayor entered Manhattan Federal Court on the morning of Sept. 27 and later entered an adamant not-guilty plea to charges in the 57-page indictment alleging that he engaged in a decade of public corruption.
Manhattan US Attorney Damian Williams’ office alleges that the mayor, starting back when he served as Brooklyn borough president in 2014, solicited and accepted illegal foreign campaign donations and gifts from the government of Turkey in exchange for assisting in speeding up the process for approvals for a Midtown Manhattan Turkish consulate building. The indictment also alleges that he hid the illegal foreign contributions via straw donations and used those funds to get $10,000,000 in public matching funds for his mayoral campaign.
Adams’ lawyer, Alex Spiro, said after Friday’s hearing that Williams’ case is completely frivolous and based on lies from key witnesses. He intends to file a motion to dismiss at a conference hearing scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 2.
The drama surrounding the Adams administration escalated even further on Friday when news broke that federal agents executed a search warrant at the home of Ingrid Lewis-Martin, one of Adams’ closest senior advisers.
Dozens of city lawmakers have called for Adams to resign. Gov. Kathy Hochul, meanwhile, issued a cryptic statement Thursday night urging Adams to do some soul-searching and to prove he can effectively lead the city with a federal prosecution dangling over his head. She also noted she is weighing her “options and obligations” to New York City residents, a subtle hint at her authority under the City Charter to remove a sitting mayor for wrongdoing.
Meanwhile, Saturday Night Live, in the first episode of its 50th season, lampooned Adams during its Weekend Update segment.
Here’s a look at everything we know so far about the indictment and how New York is reacting to the news, as well as some of the events that lead up to this.
The indictment:
- Feds accuse NYC’s chief executive of accepting illegal foreign donations, defrauding millions in campaign funds
- Mayor Eric Adams indicted on federal criminal charges, reports say
- What are the rules for NYC politicians accepting gifts and contributions?
Reactions to the indictment
- Assembly Member Rajkumar breaks silence on Mayor Adams’ indictment, defends due process amid calls for resignation
- Brooklyn Borough President Reynoso recalls ‘unusual’ visit from Turkish official after Adams became mayor
- ‘Hear our side’: Mayor Eric Adams vows not to resign after indictment, blasts prosecutors and federal government
- Mayor Adams indicted: Gov. Hochul mum as calls for mayor’s resignation grow
- Brooklyn pols call for Mayor Adams’ resignation, fair trial amid historic indictment
- LGBTQ lawmakers call on Mayor Adams to resign after federal indictment
- AOC calls for Mayor Adams’ ouster amid torrent of federal probes and high-level resignations at City Hall
What happens next?
- Hochul says Adams should ‘review the situation, find appropriate path forward’ regarding his indictment
- What do the latest federal raids on Adams’ top aides mean for 2025 mayoral election?
- Mayor Adams indictment: What happens if he chooses to resign – or is removed from office?
Beyond the mayor’s indictment
- Mayor Adams visits Queens church for pastor’s installation amid federal corruption indictment
- Adams’ ally and close advisor gets subpoena, phone seized
- DOI probes NYC Sheriff’s office; Miranda denies reports of raid at LIC headquarters
- What we know so far about the latest federal probes into top Adams admin officials
- Schools Chancellor David Banks leaving post amid continued City Hall turmoil
- Another raid: Police Commissioner Thomas Donlon has homes searched by feds one week after being appointed top cop
- Mayor Adams stands by Tim Pearson amid reports City Hall advisors are calling for embattled aide’s ouster
- Mayor Adams taps new Small Businesses commissioner, touts slight drop in vacant storefronts
- Lisa Zornberg quits as Mayor Adams’ chief counsel, heightening the escalating turbulence at City Hall
- NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban resigns amid federal probe; Mayor Adams appoints security executive as new top cop
- Mayor Adams notes seriousness of latest federal probe into his admin, but remains tight-lipped about it
- NYPD deputy commissioner seeks ‘finality’ to federal probes involving department after Donlon raid
- FBI raids target two of Mayor Adams’ top deputies; feds seize NYPD commissioner’s devices
Read more: Queens Suspect Dies Fleeing Police After Assault Allegation
