New York Mayor Eric Adams will be tried on corruption charges starting April 21, 2025, a US judge ruled this Friday (1st), as the Democrat prepares for a re-election campaign.
U.S. District Judge Dale Ho set the trial date at a hearing in federal court in Manhattan.
Adams, 64, pleaded not guilty last month to federal charges of accepting bribes and illegal campaign contributions from Turkish citizens in exchange for pressuring city officials to allow Turkey’s new 36-story consulate to open despite concerns about the security.
A former police officer who rose to the rank of captain, Adams is the first of the city’s 110 mayors to be charged with a federal crime while in office.
At least seven senior officials in his administration have resigned in recent months, while several federal corruption investigations have implicated City Hall.
The mayor, who took office in January 2022, has refused to resign despite calls from several senior Democrats, including U.S. Representative Jerry Nadler.
Adams has pledged to run for re-election next year and is expected to face a competitive Democratic primary.
Current New York City Mayor Alex Spiro’s attorney told reporters the case is based on claims from an official who falsely implicated Adams. He also downplayed the seriousness of the allegations.
Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said the capital Ankara was closely following the proceedings in Adams’ case and that the country’s diplomats adhered to protocol.
Last month the mayor received an unlikely message of support from former US President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee in Tuesday’s upcoming election who is facing federal charges over efforts to overturn his 2020 defeat to Democratic President Joe Biden.
Trump, who pleaded not guilty in that case, was also convicted of 34 felony counts in state court in New York City.
“Good luck with everything, they came after you,” the Republican said in a relaxed speech during a charity gala in New York on October 17. “I don’t like what they do.”
Adams has not been as critical of Trump as other Democrats. Asked earlier this week if he believed Trump was a “fascist,” as Vice President Kamala Harris has claimed, Adams said no.
This content was originally published in New York mayor’s corruption trial scheduled for 2025 on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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