A Manhattan decide rejected Eric Adams’ request to dismiss a cost accusing him of taking bribes from Turkish diplomats — delivering a authorized blow to the mayor prematurely of his April trial.
“The indictment is sufficiently pleaded, and dismissal is not warranted,” Choose Dale E. Ho wrote whereas rejecting Adams’ bid to toss the rap.
The bribery cost is only one of 5 counts Hizzoner faces within the first indictment ever filed in opposition to a sitting New York Metropolis mayor.
The mayor is individually charged with wire fraud for allegedly funneling international contributions to his 2021 marketing campaign by unlawful city-based “straw donors” — allegedly permitting him to tear off taxpayers by getting $10 million in public matching funds.
He’s additionally accused of illegally asking for donations from international nationals.
Adams’ attorneys had argued that the feds didn’t sufficiently allege a “quid-pro-quo” of their indictment, which says the mayor scooped up $123,000 value of journey perks from Turks and pressed the Hearth Division to fast-track the opening of the Manhattan Turkish Consulate constructing.
Court docket papers say the goodies Adams acquired embrace a stiffly discounted keep within the St. Regis Istanbul’s luxe “Bentley Suite,” which is bedecked to appear like the posh automobile.
However Choose Ho disagreed with Adams’ attorneys, and stated that the query of whether or not Adams took bribes will probably be “appropriately resolved” at trial.
Adams attorneys and the feds had been in courtroom to argue concerning the bribery cost Nov.1. Choose Ho issued his ruling six weeks later.
In an announcement, Adams’ protection legal professional Alex Spiro claimed that the feds’ case was “contrived,” and that the courtroom “took several months to unwind its legal theories, questioning several of them in its ruling.”
Spiro added that the case — which includes prices that Adams defrauded New York taxpayers by accepting phony “straw” donations from Turks — “was simply invented to harm Mayor Adams and not about justice at all.”
Adams is due again in courtroom on Friday.
