WhatsNew2Day – Latest News And Breaking Headlines
New York City Mayor Eric Adams fears he is about to be charged with federal campaign violations, sources told DailyMail.com.
Adams is said to have expressed his fears this week to people close to him as the FBI investigation into his campaign finances gathered steam, and after his former top fundraiser, Brianna Suggs, hired her own lawyers, resigning from the team that currently represents the City Council.
Between 2018 and 2021, Adams’ campaign accepted $18,000 in total from Turkish individuals and organizations. She returned $5,000 to meet donation limits.
The FBI is investigating whether those donations violate campaign laws that prohibit contributions from foreign governments or people working on their behalf.
If an indictment is filed, Adams will be forced to fight a legal battle while in office or resign. If the latter scenario were to occur, he could lead to a chaotic 60-day open election to find a replacement with no clear candidates.
Mayor Eric Adams has expressed concern that he could face prosecution over campaign donations from Turkish individuals and organizations, according to DailyMail.com sources.
Suggs had been represented by WilmerHale, the firm currently representing Adams and the campaign.
This week he hired Rebecca Ricigliano, a former federal prosecutor who previously worked for the Southern District of New York and now works for the white-collar crime firm Crowell & Moring.
In a statement this week, Ricigliano said they were cooperating with the government’s investigation.
The City Council today denied that Adams was at all concerned about the charges.
“Stop spreading lies, especially from people who have nothing to do with this matter,” a spokesperson told DailyMai.com, directing their comments toward the sources who voiced Adams’ concerns.
A source close to the campaign also denied he was concerned, citing the fact that investigators have not yet made specific accusations against him.
“This is nothing more than a political stunt by an opponent of the mayor trying to stir things up,” they said.
According to campaign finance records, Adams’ team took $6,000 from three American citizens who serve on the board of directors of the Turken Foundation, the charity founded by Erdogan’s son, between 2018 and 2021.
The campaign returned $1,000, which exceeded the individual donation limit.
FBI agents raided the home of Brianna Suggs, one of Adams’ assistants, earlier this month.
The campaign also received $12,600 from two board members of the advocacy group The Turkish American Steering Committee.
The campaign returned $4,000 in contributions after being cited for violating donation limits.
Brianna Suggs, Adams’ top fundraiser in 2021, has hired her own team of lawyers
One such foundation, a group that builds housing for Muslim students in the United States, was founded by the son of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.
In the past, Turkish politicians have questioned whether the Erdogan family was using the Turken Foundation to hide money abroad.
Adams’ campaign had to return more than $8,000 of those contributions because of the campaign’s contribution limit rules.
If Adams were to resign in the face of impeachment, his resignation would trigger a 60-day open election.
His current term ends in 2025 and it is not yet clear whether he will face strong opponents.
If Adams resigns, his immediate responsibilities would fall to Public Defender Jumaane Williams and then City Comptroller Brand Lander.
A special election would then be held 60 days after Adams resigned.
Potential candidates include former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who resigned amid a sexual harassment scandal, his aide Melissa DeRosa and New York State Chief Operating Officer Kathryn Garcia.
Adams’ team has been cooperating with the FBI investigation into donations and his campaign since agents raided the home of his top fundraiser, Brianna Suggs, earlier this month.
Agents seized several phones, laptops and documents from Suggs’ Brooklyn home.
Three Turken Foundation board members contributed to Adams’ 2021 campaign. The company was founded by Bilal Erdogan, son of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.
In 2018, Adams, then Brooklyn borough president, attended a groundbreaking ceremony for Turken House, the organization linked to the Turkish president’s son. Build housing for Muslim students in the US.
If Adams resigns, he would be immediately replaced by public defender Jumaane Williams for 60 days until an election is held. Williams previously advocated for defunding the police and is a strong advocate for immigrants.
Adams, speaking after the raid, insisted that he was cooperating with the investigation and had done nothing wrong.
The possibility of an indictment against Adams himself comes a day after Suggs switched lawyers from the firm representing Adams and his campaign to his own team of lawyers.
Suggs has been reassigned from fundraising to another role.
At a news conference Tuesday, Adams said, “With Brianna, she’s no longer fundraising for the campaign.” She declined to give further details.
Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has reportedly expressed interest in running for mayor. Kathryn García, former commissioner of the Department of Sanitation, is another contender