Federal prosecutors on Wednesday charged New York City Mayor Eric Adams, The New York Times reported, casting doubt on the moderate Democrat’s future as chairman of the nation’s largest city.
The U.S. Department of Justice was investigating whether Adams’ 2021 mayoral campaign received illegal foreign donations from the Turkish government. The investigation was made public in novemberwhen federal agents first seized the electronic devices of an Adams campaign worker responsible for fundraising, and then Adams himself.
There is a series of additional scandals since consumed Adams’ mayoralty has been fraught with federal prosecutors investigating top officials in the Adams administration on charges that include alleged bribery and extortion schemes. The steady stream of federal raids and rumors of indictments have led to the resignations of numerous top officials. In the past two weeks aloneAdams’ schools chancellor, health commissioner, police chief and city attorney have all left.
A former female colleague of Adams, who worked for the New York Police Department, is also suing him for sexual abuse she says he committed in 1993.
As Adams’ problems mounted, he insisted he was fully focused on running the city, which has faced ongoing challenges in terms of affordability for residents and integrating the more than 210,000 asylum seekers who have arrived since 2022.
But there is already a growing field of Democrats challenging Adams in the June 2025 mayoral election, including state Sens. Zellnor Myrie and Jessica Ramos, City Manager Brad Lander and former City Manager Scott Stringer.
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, perhaps the most influential progressive in New York City, called for Adams’ resignation on Wednesday.
“I don’t see how Mayor Adams can continue to govern New York City,” she said. posted on Xreferring to the “flood” of investigations and firings.
