BY MOSHE HILL OPINION COLUMNS SEPTEMBER 11 2024
This week, federal law enforcement officials executed a series of raids on several top aides of New York City Mayor Eric Adams, signaling the emergence of a new criminal investigation. Reports from local news outlets indicate that the FBI executed search warrants at the homes of Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Philip Banks, and First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright, who shares a residence with Schools Chancellor David Banks. Additionally, phones belonging to NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban and senior adviser Timothy Pearson were also seized. The investigations have even extended to Terence Banks, a consultant and brother to both Philip and David Banks, indicating a deepening probe into the mayor’s inner circle.
While the inner circle has been targeted, it seems like Mayor Adams himself is not being considered a suspect in any wrongdoing at this time. City Hall lawyer Lisa Zornberg sought to reassure the public, stating, “Investigators have not indicated to us the mayor or his staff are targets of any investigation.” She emphasized Mayor Adams’ commitment to lawfulness, given his background in law enforcement. This insistence on compliance comes at a time when public confidence in the mayor’s administration may be waning due to the barrage of legal challenges.
The ongoing investigation is being led by the Southern District of New York, which has made headlines for its focus on government corruption. This inquiry adds to the complexities of a separate, but seemingly unrelated, criminal investigation that centers around allegations that Adams’ election campaign received illegal contributions from the Turkish government. This investigation has reportedly intensified, with grand jury subpoenas recently served to Adams himself.
The claims against Adams include allegations of receiving illicit campaign contributions in exchange for favorable actions towards the Turkish government, actions that have raised ethical concerns. Investigators are scrutinizing Adams’ interactions with the Turkish government, particularly regarding his alleged intervention to facilitate the opening of a new consulate in Manhattan. This was notable in 2021, when Adams pressured then-Fire Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro to allow the Turkish government to occupy the building temporarily, despite safety concerns from fire officials. The culmination of this effort was the grand opening of the 35-story tower, attended by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, which marked a significant diplomatic gesture amidst growing scrutiny.
All of this is the background to what should have been Adams’ re-election campaign kickoff, which has now been postponed. In an email obtained by Politco, September 14 was meant to be the day that volunteers from the last campaign were supposed to gear up for next year’s re-election. That has been pushed off with no new date.
Questions remain as to why Adams’ allies are being targeted, and there is no shortage of speculation that this is politically charged. Adams is one of the most vocal Democrat critics of the Biden administration’s immigration policy in the country. When that theory was brought up by Governor David Paterson in an interview on WABC, Adams replied, “I would hope that none of what’s taking place is attributed to me fighting on behalf of the city. That’s what I was elected to do.”
Others are claiming that this targeting is due to Adams’ race. Being the second black Mayor in NYC history, those who are prone to see everything through a racial lens are doing so, despite the prosecutors in the case also being black. City Hall followed that playbook Friday, directing reporters to speak with a community leader in Queens, Bishop Mitchell Taylor. “Because he’s a Black man, he’s being berated. This is racially infused,” Bishop Mitchell Taylor, a community leader in Queens, said. “Have you ever seen this before? I haven’t.”
The lack of transparency from the FBI or the Southern District of New York, which is prosecuting this case, is only increasing the confusion surrounding these raids. This is adding fuel to the campaigns of those who have challenged Adams’ in next year’s mayoral primary, especially those on his political Left. Progressive groups are calling for his resignation, and Brad Lander, who declared his candidacy already, is claiming that “New Yorkers are not getting the steady leadership we deserve” because of the controversy.
Still in the early days of this investigation, New Yorkers will learn in the coming months just how deep the rot goes in the mayor’s office, and how this will affect the election next year. With continuous issues related to homelessness, migrants, and anti-Semitism, the instability in the Mayor’s office could not come at a worse time for the Big Apple. Adams ability to hold it together now could determine if he keeps his job going forward.
