The indictment Thursday of New York Mayor Eric Adams on five bribery and fraud charges drew attention nationwide. Not only is Adams the first sitting mayor of the country’s largest city to face corruption charges, but the nature of the alleged scheme is itself extraordinary.
The federal inquiries into Adams’ circle have impacted an unusually wide swath of the mayor’s administration. The investigations are exploring potentially illicit efforts by foreign governments to influence city officials, something that is more common in investigations of federal officeholders. (The indictment stated that at least one foreign contributor believed that Adams might one day become president.)
“The mayor should set the standard for all of city government and exemplify the integrity, transparency and dedication to serving the public that all New Yorkers deserve,” Jocelyn Strauber, commissioner of the city’s Department of Investigation, told reporters. “Instead, the indictment unsealed today alleges that Mayor Adams abused his power and position for nearly a decade as Brooklyn borough president and as mayor to enrich himself and his mayoral campaigns.”…