NEW YORK (AP) — New York Mayor Eric Adams will return to court Friday as he tries to fend off federal corruption charges as he fights for his political future.
The Democrat is expected to appear at the 2 p.m. hearing in Manhattan federal court, where his lawyers will argue that a bribery charge — one of five charges against Adams — should be dismissed because it does not meet the federal standard of a crime. .
The indictment, which also includes fraud and conspiracy charges, accuses Adams of accepting flight upgrades and other luxury travel benefits worth $100,000, along with illegal campaign contributions from a Turkish official and other foreigners seeking to buy his influence.
In return, prosecutors say, Adams provided political favors that benefited the Turkish government, including accelerating the opening of a consulate building deemed unsafe by fire inspectors.
Adams has pleaded not guilty to the charges and vowed to remain in office while he conducts his legal defense.
U.S. District Judge Dale E. Ho gave the defense and prosecution 20 minutes each to argue the issue.
Late Thursday, Ho rejected Adams’ request for a hearing into the mayor’s claims that the government leaked information about the investigation to the news media. The judge ruled that Adams and his lawyers had failed to substantiate these claims and that, if leaks occurred, the government was to blame.
As for the bribery charge, Adams’ lawyers urged in a memo last month to dismiss the “extremely vague” charge, saying it was intended to criminalize “normal and perfectly lawful acts” that Adams served as Brooklyn Borough President before being elected mayor.
The years of flight upgrades and other perks he received were at best “classic gratuities,” which a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling ruled were not covered by the bribery law if given for past actions, the filing said.
Federal prosecutors, meanwhile, responded that Adam’s actions were downright criminal.
“The indictment must make it clear that there is nothing routine about an official accepting more than $100,000 in benefits from a foreign diplomat that he has gone to great lengths to conceal – including by creating false paper trails to create the illusion of payment. ,” the prosecutors wrote.
Judge Dale Ho is expected to hear arguments from both sides on the motion to dismiss the charges. It is unclear when he will announce his decision.
At a hearing last month, federal prosecutors indicated they may file additional charges against Adams and indict others around him.
Several of Adams’ closest associates — including his police chief, schools chancellor and several deputy mayors — have resigned in recent months after federal investigators conducted coordinated searches of their homes in early September.
Adams has maintained he can continue to effectively lead the city while fighting the allegations.
But his political future remains fraught and several opponents have announced plans to challenge him in next year’s mayoral elections.
Earlier this week, Adams raised eyebrows after repeatedly refusing to criticize former President Donald Trump, refusing to say when he last spoke to the Republican nominee or whether he was seeking a pardon if Trump were re-elected.
