Federal prosecutors on Thursday charged New York City Mayor Eric Adams with wire fraud, bribery, and soliciting campaign contributions from foreign nationals. Adams said he was innocent, won’t resign from office, and would fight the charges.
Adams maintains that the effort to prosecute him has political motives, and the mayor has dug in his heels for what may be a protracted legal defense. He told reporters on Thursday that the charges, leaks, and what he called the “demonization” of himself and his administration hadn’t caught him off guard.
“This is not surprising to us at all,” the mayor said. “I ask that New Yorkers wait to hear our defense before making any judgments.”
