Bribery charge: New York Mayor Eric Adams seeks for dismissal

New York City Mayor Eric Adams is seeking to have a bribery charge against him dismissed, calling the allegations vague and legally unfounded. The charge stems from accusations that Adams accepted over $100,000 in luxury perks, including airline upgrades and hotel stays from Turkish officials, in exchange for allegedly using his influence to expedite the New York City Fire Department’s safety inspection of a new Turkish consulate in Manhattan in 2021.

Adams’ legal team, led by attorney Alex Spiro, argues that the prosecution has not demonstrated that Adams committed an official act in exchange for these perks. At the time of the alleged incident, Adams was serving as Brooklyn Borough President, not as mayor or mayor-elect, and therefore had no direct authority over the consulate’s operations. The defense characterizes the allegations as routine actions that any city official might take when dealing with an important foreign nation, dismissing them as not criminal in nature.

Spiro contends that the charges rely on an overly broad interpretation of bribery laws and do not meet the necessary legal standards. He also highlighted that the communication Adams allegedly had with the Fire Commissioner—sending three messages—did not amount to the kind of official act that could justify bribery charges. As a result, the defense is requesting the court to dismiss the bribery count, along with four other related charges, arguing that the entire case is based on years of prosecutors “casting about” for evidence against Adams.

Mayor Adams, who pleaded not guilty to all charges, is scheduled to appear in court again soon as the legal proceedings continue. His defense team remains confident that the charges will ultimately be dismissed due to a lack of substantial evidence