New York City Mayor Eric Adams returned to Manhattan federal court on Wednesday for a hearing in a massive corruption case that could result in decades in prison if convicted. Fierce defense attorneys are asking the court to dismiss at least one charge. and punishing governments for leaking classified information.
Adams arrived at the courthouse a few minutes early, around 10:24 a.m., smiling and wearing a navy blue suit. He placed a hand on the shoulder of a supporter before taking the defense bench. He stared straight ahead as District Judge Dale Ho began the hearing at 10:32 a.m.
Prosecutors said it was “very likely” that additional charges would be filed against additional defendants, and new cases were also possible. The investigation is said to be ongoing. But the defense, which supports the mayor's right to a speedy trial, pressed the Justice Department for an expedited response to the motion filed earlier this week and won by a narrow margin.
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Mayor Eric Adams arrives at the federal courthouse in New York City on October 2, 2024. (Reuters/Caitlin Ochs)
Federal prosecutors asked the court for a deadline of Oct. 30, but the judge gave them until Oct. 18. The defense continued to press for a strict deadline, demanding discovery by the first week of December, and the judge again agreed.
Defense attorney Alex Spiro went on to say the mayor is eager to go to trial if the motion filed earlier this week survives and accused the government of stalling. He has asked for a March trial date and said he expects the mayor to be acquitted.
“The defense has more resources and they're trying to confuse prosecutors because they think they're not ready,” said Neema Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor and Los Angeles-based trial attorney. ” he said.
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Defense attorney Alex Spiro said the mayor is eager to go to trial if the motion filed earlier this week survives. (Reuters/Caitlin Ochs)
Meanwhile, the prosecution has paper evidence, text messages, and multiple witnesses.
“While this is strong evidence, the government will need to rely on the testimony of co-workers to prove Adams' intent,” Rahmani told FOX News Digital. “Campaign finance and ethics violations are easier to prove than bribes in return.”
Separately, the two sides agreed on Tuesday to stop sharing certain materials with the media.
Adams is accused of accepting bribes from foreign nationals to raise illegal campaign contributions, then turning around and collecting taxpayer cash in the form of “matching” grants that paid out 8-to-1 on those illegal contributions. has been done.
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New York City Mayor Eric Adams is accused of accepting bribes from foreign nationals and soliciting illegal campaign contributions. (Reuters/Caitlin Ochs)
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York alleges that Adams used his position in the government to obtain favors such as luxury travel and expensive restaurants from wealthy businessmen, including at least one Turkish government official. I am doing it.
In return, Mr. Adams allegedly offered favors, including helping Turkey obtain Fire Department approval to open a new diplomatic high-rise in Manhattan, despite concerns about fire safety. There is. Mr. Adams' defense attorneys argued that he had no authority over the Manhattan building when he was the borough president of Brooklyn, and therefore could not present the “official act” needed to prove the case against Mr. Adams. I argued that there was no such thing and that I did not provide it.
Adams has described the investigation as retaliation for his criticism of the Biden-Harris administration's border policies.
The mayor previously blamed the White House for New York City's migrant crisis that overwhelmed its shelter system. The influx of illegal immigrants is Rapid increase in robberies In the Big Apple, city police announced earlier this year.
At his arraignment last week, the mayor pleaded not guilty and was released without bail. He denies any wrongdoing and says he has no intention of resigning. If convicted, he could be sentenced to up to 45 years in prison.
On Monday, Adams' lawyers cited a recent Supreme Court opinion supporting an Indiana mayor accused of bribery, saying the allegations do not meet the requirements under a federal law known as Section 666. filed a motion to dismiss the bribery charges. The $13,000 he claimed was a legal payment for consulting services.
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Mayor Eric Adams and attorney Alex Spiro speak to the media on September 27, 2024, the day of Adams' arraignment in New York City. (Reuters/Caitlin Ochs)
And on Tuesday, Adams' lawyers filed a motion seeking evidentiary hearings and sanctions against the Justice Department for leaking confidential grand jury materials to the media.
They suggested that the appropriate remedy may be to waive the prosecution altogether.
But experts say the leak investigation has little impact on the case.
“Most high-profile corruption cases have leaks,” said Anthony Capozzolo, a former federal prosecutor who handled similar cases in the neighboring Eastern District of New York. “But they usually don't give the outcome of the case a chance.”
