What Is Going on With NYC Mayor Eric Adams and Turkey?

Jessica Washington
·4 min read
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 11: New York Mayor Eric Adams participates in the annual Veterans Day Parade on November 11, 2023 in New York City. Adams recently had his phone and iPad seized by the FBI as they investigated campaign funding in his administration. Hundreds of people lined 5th Avenue to watch the biggest Veterans Day parade in the United States. This year’s event included veterans, active soldiers, police officers, firefighters, and dozens of school groups participating in the parade which honors the men and women who have served and sacrificed for the country
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 11: New York Mayor Eric Adams participates in the annual Veterans Day Parade on November 11, 2023 in New York City. Adams recently had his phone and iPad seized by the FBI as they investigated campaign funding in his administration. Hundreds of people lined 5th Avenue to watch the biggest Veterans Day parade in the United States. This year’s event included veterans, active soldiers, police officers, firefighters, and dozens of school groups participating in the parade which honors the men and women who have served and sacrificed for the country

New York Mayor Eric Adams is a political figure who could generously be referred to as eccentric. But things appear to be taking a much more dramatic turn for the former cop turned big city mayor in recent weeks.

The New York Times is reporting that the FBI is investigating whether Adams pressured the New York Fire Department to sign-off on a new consulate for the Turkish government. And on Friday, the FBI seized phones and an iPad from the Mayor as a part of an ongoing investigation into his campaign.

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According to the New York Times reporting, shortly after winning the Democratic primary Adams called the fire Commissioner urging him to allow the Turkish government to occupy a high-rise building despite safety concerns.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan then proceeded to unveil the new $300 million high-rise to much fanfare during the 2021 UN General Assembly.

The Larger Investigation Into The Adams Campaign

Building permits are one thing, but the FBI is reportedly looking into a much deeper corruption scandal. The New York Times reported that investigators are looking into whether the Adams’ campaign conspired with the Turkish government to receive illegal foreign donations.

And CNN later reported that investigators were gathering evidence related to an an alleged conspiracy with a Brooklyn-based construction company to mask illegal foreign donations under the pretense that the donations were from Turkish Americans (who can legally donate).

Raid On Eric Adams Home

The investigation came to a head on Friday when investigators seized multiple electronics from Adams’ home as a part of this on-going investigation.

It’s worth noting that despite the raid, Adams has not been accused of a crime. “The mayor has been and remains committed to cooperating in this matter,” Boyd Johnson, a lawyer for the mayor’s campaign organization, said in a statement to NBC News. “The mayor has not been accused of any wrongdoing and continues to cooperate with the investigation.”

Who Is Brianna Suggs, and Why Did The FBI Raid Her Home?

The investigation burst on to the scene earlier this month when the FBI raided the home of Brianna Suggs, 25, Adams’ chief fundraiser. Suggs began running Adams’ fundraising operation shortly after graduating college. She began working for Adams when he was Brooklyn Borough President while she was in school, before running his fundraising operation as a consultant.

According to the New York Times, the FBI seized three iPhones, two laptops, “contribution card binders, and a manilla folder agents identified as “manila folder labeled Eric Adams,” along with other pieces of evidence. It’s worth noting that Adams and Suggs have not been accused of a crime.

Staw Donor Fiasco

Over the summer, six people were charged in an alleged “straw donor” scheme aimed at diverting public funds to the Eric Adams’ campaign. And last month, two of Adams’ campaign contributors pleaded guilty to the charges levied against them.

According to the District Attorney’s office, the defendants recruited multiple donors and gave them money to donate on their behalf. The goal was to take advantage of a generous public matching fund, which matched the first $250 an individual donated on an eight-to-one ratio. So, for example, instead of donating, say, $1,000 from one person and getting the fund to match $2,000, you could pay four “straw donors” $1,000 to donate $250 individually. In the second scenario, the fund would give the campaign $8,000 instead of $2,000. Keep on going with that scheme, and you suddenly have a lot more money heading the campaign.

It should go without saying that using “straw donors” in this manner is illegal. Despite the optics, there is no indication at the moment that the Adams campaign or Adams himself participated in this alleged scheme.

What Does Eric Adams Have To Say About All Of This?

Eric Adams has continued to maintain his innocence. “I have not been accused of wrongdoing and I will continue to cooperate with investigators,” Adams said in a statment obtained by NBC.





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