WORLD WORLDWIDE USA New York NY New York City NYC the city THE CITY News Journal Update - THE CITY SCOOP: What You Need to Know About the Turkish Connections at the Core of the Federal Probe Into the Eric Adams Campaign

 

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If you know anyone who might like this newsletter, send it to them. If this was sent to you by someone else, subscribe here — it's free!  Dear New Yorkers, A federal probe of Mayor Eric Adams’ campaign fundraising exploded into public view last week with a surprise raid on the residence of a top Adams fundraiser, Brianna Suggs. THE CITY has found that, less than two months before the 2021 general election, the Adams campaign received five $2,000 donations from people listed as employees of Bay Atlantic University, a small Turkish-owned institution based in Washington, D.C. These contributions are under scrutiny as part of the federal investigation. The campaign returned all the donations within weeks. The federal investigation also centers in part on KSK Construction, a Turkey-tied engineering firm that delivered more than a dozen donations to the mayor’s 2021 campaign. According to records reviewed by THE CITY, years before KSK’s involvement in this explosive inquiry became public, its CEO, Erden Arkan, ran another company called Kiska Construction that was at the heart of two other back-to-back corruption scandals involving bribery of city workers in 2007 and 2008. At issue is whether the Adams campaign conspired with the university and the construction company to illegally funnel foreign money into the campaign’s coffers. Under federal law, it is illegal for any federal or local campaign to accept money from foreign nationals. Adams said in a statement Friday that he was “outraged and angry if anyone attempted to use the campaign to manipulate our democracy and defraud our campaign.” He said he had no knowledge of improper fundraising activity or of the involvement of foreign money.  Read more about Kiska Construction here, and more about the Bay Atlantic University donations here. Weather scoop by New York Metro Weather Monday's Weather Rating: 7/10. Another gorgeous start, with high temperatures a bit cooler in the upper 50s. Clouds increase as the day goes on and we could have a few showers moving in this evening. Still, for most of the day the vibes are pretty dang good! Some other items of note: Jumal George, a budtender at Housing Works’ cannabis dispensary — the state’s first legal one — was released from a Pennsylvania jail on Thursday evening. He had first spent more than three weeks jailed on Rikers Island in New York after being arrested during a traffic stop on October 11. Cops found that he was driving without a license, and that he had warrants against him related to marijuana in both New York and Pennsylvania. He was put behind bars in part because state law had expunged cannabis convictions, but not pot-related arrest warrants. “The system has to change,” an exhausted George said in a brief phone interview on Friday.   Election Day is tomorrow! Not sure where to go, or who’s running? Find your poll site and sample ballot here. Read up on races to watch in the City Council — especially if you live in The Bronx, Queens or southern Brooklyn, where there are several close contests. Check out THE CITY’s interactive guide to learn about your newly drawn City Council district. And, in case you missed it, here’s a guide to judge races, and why only four of 22 contests are competitive. Things To Do Here’s what’s going on around the city this week. Monday, Nov. 4: Canstruction 2023, a competition of elaborate sculptures made from cans of food (donated after the exhibition). Free from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Brookfield Place, 230 Vesey St. in Manhattan through Nov. 13. Tuesday, Nov. 7: Election Day. Yes, we’re going to remind you again! Here is where to find your local poll site and sample ballot. Friday, Nov. 10: Gingerbread NYC: The Great Borough Bake-Off, a gingerbread baking competition by both amateurs and professionals. The results are on view at the Museum of the City of New York through Jan. 15, 2024. THE KICKER: At the New York City Marathon yesterday, Ethiopian runner Tamirat Tola won the men’s race and Kenyan runner Hellen Obiri won the women’s race. Two Swiss racers, Marcel Hug and Catherine Debrunner, won the men and women’s wheelchair divisions, respectively. Tola and Debrunner also set new records — Debrunner by an entire three minutes. Thanks, as always, for reading. Make it a great Monday. Love, THE CITY P.S. Love THE CITY? Our nonprofit newsroom runs on support from readers like you. Donate here.

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