New York Mayor Eric Adams returned to the federal courthouse in Manhattan Wednesday for a hearing in a sprawling corruption case that could send him to prison for decades if he’s convicted – but the fiery former cop’s defense is asking for the court to toss at least one charge and punish the government for leaks of confidential information.
Adams arrived in the courtroom a few minutes early, around 10:24 a.m., wearing a smile and a navy blue suit. He placed a hand on a supporter’s shoulder before joining his lawyers at the defense table. He stared straight ahead as District Judge Dale Ho kicked off the hearing at 10:32.
Prosecutors said it is “quite likely” that additional charges will be filed – against additional defendants and possible in new cases. The investigation is ongoing, they said. But the defense scored a minor win, demanding the Justice Department file quick replies to motions filed earlier this week as the mayor is standing by his right to a speedy trial.
Mayor Eric Adams arrives at the federal court in New York City, Oct. 2, 2024. (Reuters/Caitlin Ochs)
Federal prosecutors asked the court for an Oct. 30 deadline, but the judge gave them until the 18th. The defense continued to push for tight deadlines, demanding discovery disclosures by the first week of December, and the judge again agreed.
Defense attorney Alex Spiro went on to say the mayor’s side was eager to go to trial if the case survives the motions he filed earlier this week, and accused the government of stalling. He is seeking a March trial date and said he expects to see the mayor acquitted.
“They’re trying to jam up prosecutors because the defense has more resources and they think they’re not ready,” said Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor and Los Angeles-based trial attorney.
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Defense attorney Alex Spiro said the mayor’s side was eager to go to trial if the case survives the motions he filed earlier this week. (Reuters/Caitlin Ochs)
On the other hand, prosecutors have a paper trail, text messages and multiple witnesses.
“It’s a strong case, but the government is going to have to rely on cooperator testimony to prove Adams’ intent,” Rahmani told Fox News Digital. “The campaign finance and ethics violations are easier to prove than the quid pro quo for the bribery.”
Separately, both sides agreed Tuesday to stop sharing certain materials with the media.
Adams is accused of accepting bribes and soliciting illegal campaign contributions from foreign nationals, then turning around and using those unlawful donations to rack up taxpayer cash in the form of “matching” grants that pay out $8 to 1.
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New York City Mayor Eric Adams is accused of accepting bribes and soliciting illegal campaign contributions from foreign nationals. (Reuters/Caitlin Ochs)
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York is alleging that Adams used his position in government to obtain benefits like luxury travel and fine dining, from wealthy business leaders, including at least one Turkish government official.
In exchange, Adams allegedly provided favors, including helping Turkey get fire department approvals to open a new diplomatic high-rise in Manhattan, despite concerns about fire safety. Adams’ defense has countered that he had no authority over the Manhattan building at the time, when he was Brooklyn’s borough president, and therefore could not and did not provide the alleged “official act” required to prove the case against him.
Adams has described the investigation as retaliation for his criticism of the Biden-Harris administration’s border policy.
The mayor previously blamed the White House for a migrant crisis in New York City that overwhelmed its shelter system. The influx of illegal immigrants coincided with a spike in robberies in the Big Apple, city police said 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 will not step down. If convicted, he faces a maximum of 45 years in prison.
On Monday, lawyers for Adams filed a motion to dismiss the bribery charge, arguing the allegations don’t meet the requirements under a federal statute known as Section 666, citing a recent Supreme Court opinion in favor of an Indiana mayor accused of bribery for collecting $13,000 that he argued was a legal payment for consulting services.
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Mayor Eric Adams and lawyer Alex Spiro speak to the media on the day of Adams’ arraignment in New York City, Sept. 27, 2024. (Reuters/Caitlin Ochs)
Then on Tuesday, Adams’ attorneys filed a motion seeking an evidentiary hearing and for sanctions against the Department of Justice, which they accused of leaking confidential grand jury materials to the press.
They suggested that the appropriate remedy could be tossing the indictment entirely.
Experts say that leak investigations rarely impact a case, however.
“Leaks have happened in most high-profile corruption cases,” said Anthony Capozzolo, a former federal prosecutor who handled similar cases in the neighboring Eastern District of New York. “But they usually don’t result in a chance in the outcome of a case.”
