Just days after a sweeping corruption indictment, Mayor Adams filed a motion to dismiss the bribery count in his federal case on Monday, calling the feds’ allegations “extraordinarily vague” and saying they lacked proof he broke the law.
“[It] alleges only that while serving as Brooklyn Borough President not Mayor, or even Mayor-elect he agreed generally to assist with the ‘operation’ or ‘regulation’ of a Turkish Consulate building in Manhattan, where he had no authority whatsoever, in exchange for travel benefits,” Adams’s attorney Alex Spiro wrote.
“That extraordinarily vague allegation encompasses a wide array of normal and perfectly lawful acts that many City officials would undertake for the consulate of an important foreign nation,” the filing continued.
Spiro, expected to hold a press conference later Monday, did not return a call.
Adams, 64, became the first New York City mayor in the modern era to face criminal charges last week and has refused to step down.
He’s pleaded not guilty to a five-count indictment alleging he traded his influence for luxury trips around the world, illegal campaign contributions from overseas donors, and other gifts for nearly a decade.
This developing story will be updated.