It is in the best interest of fairness — and the best interest of New York City — that Mayor Eric Adams be allowed to present a defense while he continues to serve his term.
Damian Williams, the US attorney for the Southern District of New York, knows how to put on a show. Black SUVs zooming into Gracie Mansion. Big color charts and stern government lawyers standing with their hands clasped. “A multiyear scheme,” Williams intoned, “to buy favor with a single New York City politician on the rise: Eric Adams.”
It’s all nice sound and fury, but is it as serious as Williams claims?
At first glance, what the government of Turkey got as “favors” from Mayor Adams was small potatoes. Cutting red tape to open the Turkish consulate on time. A position on the transition team. And what did Adams get in return? Campaign donations. And first-class upgrades on Turkish Airlines. #Extralegroomgate.
The latter is embarrassing but may not be illegal. The straw donor scheme is more serious, but Adams denies he knew anything about it.
It is in the best interest of fairness — and the best interest of New York City — that Adams be allowed to present a defense while he continues to serve his term.
The argument of the resignation crowd is that he is so distracted that he cannot possibly lead and that his administration is in chaos with multiple staff either quitting or fleeing for the exits.
