FAST DOWNLOAD
Adams has maintained his innocence since it emerged that he was under investigation by the FBI.
New York Mayor Eric Adams pleaded not guilty on Friday to five counts of corruption charged by federal prosecutors, involving bribery and illegal donations from the Turkish government to finance his campaign.
“I’m not guilty,” he told Judge Katharine Parker at a brief hearing in federal court for the Southern District of New York, just outside City Hall.
Adams arrived early at court with his attorney Alex Spiro , where he was arraigned like any other defendant and then heard the charges read.
He was later released on a warning not to have contact with witnesses or anyone else involved in his case.
The mayor , in his first four-year term and looking to run for re-election, refused to be arraigned on the charges , contained in a 57-page document, telling the judge he already knew about them.
The charges include wire fraud and bribery, and accepting campaign donations from foreigners and gifts in exchange for doing favors for his donors, including pressuring the Fire Department to authorize the opening of a government building across the street from the U.N.
The indictment says those donations from wealthy taxpayers were concealed through front men in the U.S. and that the companies did so through multiple employees , thus evading the law to prevent foreign influence in American elections and reduce corporate power in politics.
Judge Parker warned Adams , who is a former state senator, police captain and Brooklyn borough president , not to miss any court hearings or intimidate anyone in connection with the case.
Adams, who made no comments upon his arrival and departure from court, is due back in court for another hearing on Wednesday , before the judge assigned to the case, Dale Ho, and his attorney Spiro announced as he left before a crowd of reporters that he will ask for the charges to be dismissed because his client is innocent.
Spiro is a high-profile attorney with clients including Jay-Z, Alex Baldwin and Elon Musk , according to the New York Times .
Adams has reiterated his innocence since it became known that he was under investigation by the FBI and after the charges were finally announced on Thursday, and today he reaffirmed that he will not resign despite the large number of voices within his own Democratic Party calling for his resignation. EFE
