WORLD WORLDWIDE US USA - New York NY - New York City NYC - THE CITY - The $10 million Adams is accused of stealing

 

ADVERTISEMENT

Dear New Yorkers,

The grand jury indictment of Mayor Eric Adams kicks off with a stunning $10 million figure that has captured headlines, dominated cable news shows and led many to conclude that the Turkish donations at the core of the indictment directly yielded $10 million for Adams.

But that $10 million figure is the entirety of public matching funds granted Adams’ 2021 campaign by the city Campaign Finance Board. The indictment actually lists about $26,000 in allegedly illegal foreign contributions, not counting matching funds the campaign sought.

The small size of the donations doesn’t mean Adams is innocent of serious charges.

Manhattan U.S. attorney Damian Williams’ focus on that total $10 million sum speaks to chillingly far-reaching implications of the Adams campaign’s abuse of the public financing system — which aren’t isolated to the Turkey incidents chronicled in this criminal case.

As THE CITY has previously reported, Adams’ 2021 filings to the Campaign Finance Board were rife with questionable fundraising claims, including phony addresses, groups of co-workers making identically sized donations and widespread use of money orders instead of typical credit card contributions.

Read more here about how Williams’ indictment points toward a larger assault on New York City’s campaign finance program.

Our Other Top Stories

Last Friday, Adams appeared in federal court, where he pleaded not guilty to all corruption charges. If convicted on all counts the Adams could serve up to 45 years in prison, though sentencing guidelines recommend significantly less. His next court date is on Wednesday. Meanwhile, federal investigators continued to probe the mayor’s circle. Ingrid Lewis-Martin, one of Mayor Eric Adams’s closest aides, was served with a subpoena as soon as she landed at John F. Kennedy International Airport after returning from a vacation to Japan on Friday. Her Brooklyn home was also served with a federal search warrant and raided by FBI agents and the city’s Department of Investigation, sources told THE CITY.  THE CITY spoke with civil servants who are worried that the charges surrounding the mayor will further erode the public’s trust in government. The mayor has refused calls to step down, and sent a mass email to city workers Thursday afternoon, saying he did “nothing wrong” and praising them for their work. “I just want people to know that we city workers care about the work that we do, and that we are not Eric Adams,” one worker said. There’s also literally something in the water downtown: Legionella bacteria, which was reported in multiple locations in 26 Federal Plaza a few weeks ago. Now, a public agency that works in the building has reported that one of its employees has Legionnaires’ disease, a severe form of pneumonia. (Most people exposed to Legionella bacteria do not become sick, but exposure that leads to the disease can be serious or even fatal.)

SPONSORED New Yorkers with records get a second chance   More than 2 million New Yorkers have a criminal record, according to the Brennan Center for Justice. But all too often, their past remains a barrier to accessing economic opportunity, even after fulfilling their justice system obligations.    JPMorgan Chase is committed to supporting second chances for individuals with a criminal record in New York, from removing barriers to employment to expanding education and housing access.    Learn more.

Things To Do

Here’s what’s going on around the city this week.

Monday, Sept. 30: Art from the Heart, an exhibition of vintage works by local artists. Free from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, at the H.H. Biddle House in Conference House Park in Staten Island. Wednesday, Oct. 1: Heads up for homeowners in the city: City Council is hosting free estate planning services to help New Yorkers avoid deed theft. Wednesday is the deadline to fill out the required questionnaire to participate. Saturday, Oct. 5: A daylong birthday bash celebrating the Brooklyn Museum’s 200th anniversary that includes curator talks, art, music and more. Free from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., registration required.

Happy 5th Birthday to THE CITY!

As one of our valued Scoop subscribers, you’re at the heart of what makes our reporting possible. Celebrate five years of independent journalism by giving a birthday gift to help us continue for another five!

Celebrate with us!

THE KICKER: Happy, the Bronx Zoo elephant who’d been missing from public view for weeks, was spotted for the first time recently. But activists worry that she has “significant damage” to her feet.

Thanks, as always, for reading. Make it a great Monday.

Love,

THE CITY

PS. Love THE CITY? Our nonprofit newsroom runs on support from readers like you. Donate here.

Want to view Scoop in your web browser? Click here.

THE CITY's work is made possible, in part, through the support of our sponsors. Interested in becoming a sponsor of THE CITY? Contact us here.  Copyright © 2024 THE CITY, All rights reserved.