Eric Adams says he will fight charges stemming from alleged illegal campaign contributions from Turkish sources.New York City Mayor Eric Adams has pleaded not guilty to corruption charges stemming from alleged bribes taken from Turkish diplomats and businesspeople.
Adams, 64, entered the plea before US Magistrate Judge Katharine Parker at his first appearance in the case in Manhattan federal court on Friday.
“I am not guilty, your honour,” Adams said when Parker asked for his plea.
The hearing came three days after a grand jury moved to indict Adams, a former police officer.
The indictment, unsealed on Thursday, said Adams received campaign funding and luxury travel perks – including rooms at opulent hotels and meals at high-end restaurants – in exchange for pressuring city officials to allow Turkey’s new 36-storey consulate to open despite safety concerns.
Speaking at a news conference on Thursday, Adams pledged to fight the charges and said he would not respond to calls from some of his fellow Democrats to step down as the top elected official in the largest city in the US, with a population of 8 million people.
“I will continue to do my job as mayor,” he said.
Prosecutors allege the scheme in question dates back to 2014, when Adams became Brooklyn borough president. The alleged illegal campaign contributions later helped finance his 2021 campaign for mayor.
Adams speaks during a news co …
