One of Mayor Adams’ attorneys vehemently denied Wednesday that the mayor has any plans to resign, batting down rumors that have bubbled up over the past few days as he remains hunkered down at home with a health issue.
“He’s not resigning,” Alex Spiro, Adams’ lead criminal defense lawyer, told reporters outside Manhattan Federal Court after a confidential discovery hearing in the mayor’s corruption case.
“Completely false,” Spiro added.
The lawyer declined to discuss what came up in the closed-door court hearing, which focused on classified national security information that has emerged in the mayor’s case charging him with taking bribes and illegal campaign cash from Turkish government operatives in exchange for political favors. Federal prosecutors wrote in court papers earlier this month that they’ve since the mayor’s September indictment uncovered “additional criminal conduct” he allegedly engaged in.
Adams, who didn’t attend Wednesday’s hearing, has pleaded not guilty and is supposed to stand trial in April. The mayor maintains he has done nothing wrong and that he plans to seek reelection this year.
Chatter among city politicos about resignation rumors picked up steam after the mayor’s office announced late Sunday that Adams would clear most of his public schedule this week because he’s “not feeling well.”
The mayor’s office has declined to share details about his condition other than to say it’s not serious and that the mayor is resting at his Gracie Mansion home while undergoing routine medical screenings throughout the week.
Kayla Mamelak, Adams’ City Hall press secretary, affirmed the lawyer’s statement Wednesday afternoon.
“Spiro’s statement sums it up best,” she said.