New York City Mayor Eric Adams accepted harmless “courtesies” and not bribes, his lawyer says

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams launched a legal attack Monday on the federal corruption case against him. His lawyer urged a judge to dismiss the bribery charge and then held a combative news conference in which he accused prosecutors of ethical lapses.

Adams, a Democrat, pleaded not guilty Friday to charges that he accepted lavish travel allowances and illegal campaign contributions from a Turkish official and other foreign nationals and provided favors in return, including pushing through the opening of a Turkish consulate building.

The mayor’s lawyers said in a motion filed early Monday that the cheap flights to overseas destinations, seat upgrades, free meals and free hotel rooms he received were not bribery because that crime is defined in federal law.

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“Congressmen get upgrades, they get corner suites, they get better tables at restaurants, they get free appetizers, they get their iced tea refilled,” his attorney Alex Spiro said at a subsequent news conference. “Political courtesies are not federal crimes.”

While Spiro did not deny that Adams accepted flight upgrades and deeply discounted or free travel, he said his client never promised to take any action on behalf of the Turkish government in exchange for the perks, which prosecutors said amounted to more than $100,000 -dollars are worth.

“There was nothing in return. There was no this,” Spiro said.

The mayor has vowed to continue in office while fighting the allegations, which he says are politically motivated, without providing any evidence.

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In addition to the case against Adams, federal prosecutors are believed to be leading separate ongoing investigations into several high-ranking city officials who have close ties to the mayor. The drumbeat of searches and citations in recent weeks has led to the resignations of the city’s police commissioner and schools chancellor, along with some calls for the mayor’s resignation.

Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat who has the power to remove Adams from office, told reporters Monday that she had spoken to the mayor about “what my expectations are” but also indicated she was not ready to to give up his term of office.

“I’m now giving the mayor the opportunity to show New Yorkers – and me – that we are righting the course, that we have the opportunity to inspire the trust that I believe is currently faltering, and with “to move forward with effective government,” she said.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, whose office filed the case, said politics played no role. At an unrelated news conference Monday, Williams declined to comment on Spiro’s comments, saying prosecutors would discuss court filings in the future.

Prosecutors say Adams accepted at least seven free and deeply discounted flights, as well as luxury hotel stays, first-class meals, entertainment and illegal foreign donations from a Turkish official and others seeking to buy his influence.

In September 2021, the official tried to take advantage of the favors by asking Adams to expedite the opening of the 36-story consulate building in Manhattan, which fire inspectors said was unsafe for occupancy ahead of a key state visit by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, it said the indictment.

Adams then sent a series of text messages to the fire commissioner urging him to open the building – something Spiro also did not deny.

At the time, Adams was still Brooklyn Borough President, a largely ceremonial position, but had already won the mayoral primary and was widely expected to become mayor.

Prosecutors said Adams failed to disclose most of the free or deeply discounted trips he took as borough president, as required by city conflict of interest laws.

At the news conference, Spiro initially said Adams was not legally required to disclose the trips or upgrades, but later acknowledged that he was not an expert after reporters pointed out city rules that required reporting certain types of gifts and travel perks in the conflict of interest law the city.

Defense attorneys contend the additional allegations against Adams — that he solicited and accepted foreign donations and manipulated the city’s matching funds program — will soon be exposed as “equally baseless.”

They said a former Adams employee lied to prosecutors to make it appear the mayor had firsthand knowledge of the illegal donations.

“At some point, New Yorkers being New Yorkers will be aware of this,” Spiro said.

Adams is due back in court for a conference on Wednesday.