New York City mayor Eric Adams indicted on federal charges
26 September 2024, 05:37
New York City mayor Eric Adams has reportedly been indicted on federal criminal charges amid an investigation into his time in office.
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Adams, a Democrat, is expected to be formally charged later on Thursday, with the charges currently remaining unknown after the indictment was sealed.
This would make Adams the first of the city's 110 mayors to receive criminal charges while in office.
"I always knew that If I stood my ground for New Yorkers that I would be a target - and a target I became," Mr Adams said in a statement that implied he had not been informed of the indictment.
"For months, leaks and rumours have been aimed at me in an attempt to undermine my credibility and paint me as guilty.
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"If I am charged, I am innocent and I will fight this with every ounce of my strength and spirit."
Earlier this month, devices belonging to high-ranking members of the Adams administration were seized by the FBI.
Among those who were targetted was New York police commissioner Edward Caban, who resigned shortley after.
As pressure on the mayor grew, his top legal advisor, Lisa Zornberg, resigned, writing: "I can no longer effectively serve in my position."
Recent days have seen senior members of the Democratic Party call for Adams to resign.
Governor Kathy Hochul has the power to remove Mr Adams from office. Ms Hochul's office did not immediately return a request for comment on Wednesday night.
Hours before the charges were announced, US representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called on Mr Adams to resign, the first nationally prominent Democrat to do so.
I do not see how Mayor Adams can continue governing New York City.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) September 25, 2024
The flood of resignations and vacancies are threatening gov function. Nonstop investigations will make it impossible to recruit and retain a qualified administration.
For the good of the city, he should resign.…
She cited the federal criminal investigations into the mayor's administration and the string of unexpected departures of top city officials.
"I do not see how Mayor Adams can continue governing New York City," Ms Ocasio-Cortez wrote on the social platform X.
The US attorney's office in Manhattan declined to comment. The indictment was first reported by The New York Times.
