Adams Accuses Successor’s Administration of Politicizing Legal Costs
Former Mayor Eric Adams has claimed that the administration of his successor is engaging in political maneuvering as it seeks to have taxpayers cover legal expenses in a lawsuit that alleges he sexually assaulted someone three decades ago.
Last month, the City Attorney’s Office submitted court documents aiming to withdraw representation for Adams in this longstanding case. They argued that newly discovered records indicate he wasn’t performing his duties as a traffic officer during the time of the alleged incident.
“There’s no justification for taxpayers to be responsible for the defense in this case,” said City Attorney Maxwell Layton during a hearing in Manhattan Supreme Court.
In 2023, whistleblower Lorna Beech-Matula lodged a complaint against then-Mayor Adams, claiming he assaulted her in 1993 while he was with the traffic police. Adams has consistently denied these allegations.
However, Adams’ new personal attorney, Alan Futerfas, asserted that the city’s move to drop him as a client, initiated by Mayor Zoran Mamdani’s corporate counsel Steve Banks, was purely a “political decision.”
“It’s not right to come back to us years later and say, ‘Hey, we have a new administration, and they reviewed the file and said no,'” Futerfas contended in court.
He warned that appointing new leadership is exactly the kind of political maneuvering that courts criticize.
Furthermore, Futerfas stated that a letter from the Justice Department in March, announcing the decision to withdraw representation due to unspecified new evidence, created a “major conflict,” insisting taxpayers should bear the cost of hiring a private lawyer.
Layton countered the notion of political motivations, explaining that the matter is fundamentally a private dispute and whether the allegations are true or false isn’t the point.
Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Brendan Lantry questioned Layton about the timing of the city’s decision, asking, “Why now?”
Layton confirmed this was part of Banks’ “representativeness assessment” since taking over as general counsel.
He mentioned that the decision came after a review of previously mislaid documents and Beech-Matula’s deposition from 2024 regarding the case.
Justice Lantry emphasized the need for “a fresh perspective,” indicating that he would issue a ruling on what he described as “a unique area of law” in due time.
A scenario reminiscent of former Governor Andrew Cuomo’s sexual harassment lawsuit, which cost New Yorkers tens of millions, could unfold, especially after he was granted permission to sue taxpayers.
The city also recently took steps to cease representation for former NYPD officers and Adams associates Tim Pearson and Jeffrey Madeley in their respective retaliation and sexual harassment lawsuits.
