FBI agents searched the New York City mayor's mansion in the early hours of Thursday, hours after sources said Mayor Eric Adams had been indicted by a federal grand jury.
Adams fired back in a video statement, calling any allegations against him “completely false and based on lies” and suggesting he was the target of retaliation for criticizing the Biden administration's disastrous border policies.
“The federal government has done nothing while its flawed immigration policies have strained our shelter system and provided no relief,” he said. “I put the people of New York above party and politics.”
New York City Mayor Eric Adams indicted
New York City Mayor Eric Adams attends a press conference on gun violence at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in New York City on June 26, 2023. Mayor Adams, along with First Deputy Chief Medical Examiner Edward A. Cabán and Chief Medical Examiner Jason Graham, announced that the New York City Medical Examiner's DNA Gun Crimes Unit, a first in the nation, has become the fastest big city crime lab in the nation, reducing gun crime testing and analysis from 60 days to within 30 days. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
Investigators seized the mayor's cellphone during the morning raid, according to sources, but it was not immediately clear whether Adams was at Gracie Mansion when they arrived.
Adams' attorney, Alex Spiro, said police did not arrest Adams.
“Federal agents showed up at Gracie Mansion this morning and staged a spectacle again, attempting to seize Mayor Adams' cell phone,” he told The Associated Press. “They sent in 12 agents to retrieve a phone that we would have gladly turned over.”
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David Gelman, a New Jersey lawyer and legal representative for the Trump campaign, said the federal government likely has a warrant to seize data stored on the mayor's devices.
But he also questioned the case against Adams.
An NYPD officer stands outside Gracie Mansion, the official residence of New York City Mayor Eric Adams, on Thursday, September 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
“The question is, is it politically motivated,” he said. “It's possible. The Department of Justice has shown over the last three and a half years that they are being weaponized.”
Adams accused the federal government of pressuring him to appear guilty and undermine his credibility.
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Reporters gathered outside Gracie Mansion, the official residence of New York City Mayor Eric Adams, on Thursday, September 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
“Last week, police authorities searched the home of the newly appointed police commissioner, looking for documents going back 20 years, just a week after he joined the administration,” he said. “Enough is enough. I will fight these injustices with all my might and all my heart.”
He has maintained his innocence and refuted calls for him to resign.
“If I were indicted, many would say I should resign because I cannot run the city while I am fighting the lawsuit,” he said. “I also understand that ordinary New Yorkers would be concerned that I would be unable to do my job while facing the allegations. But since I spoke out for you and the investigation began, I have faced these lies for months, and yet the city continues to improve. Make no mistake, you elected me to lead this city, and I intend to lead.”
Details of the indictment are expected to be made public later Thursday morning.
“While we know nothing about the charges or accusations, Mr. Adams and his legal team were well aware that an indictment was coming,” Gelman said. “No one knows if they would have cooperated, but the federal government is not going to let anyone they target slip away.”
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Federal investigators have conducted a series of searches targeting Adams' inner circle in recent weeks, including the new police commissioner, the commissioner Adams replaced and top aides in the mayor's office and campaign.
The FBI is reportedly looking into whether Adams' 2021 mayoral campaign colluded with the Turkish government or other groups to raise funds, and some New York officials are also under investigation for possible investigations into their contacts with China.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
