New York City Mayor Eric Adams made a public appearance at the Emmanuel Presbyterian Reformed Church in The Bronx, where he expressed his commitment to continue leading the city despite facing federal indictment charges. Adams, a Democrat, is accused of soliciting illegal campaign donations from foreign entities and attempting to cover up the transactions.
During his address to the congregation, Adams emphasized his belief that he was placed in his position by a higher power and vowed to persevere in his role as mayor. He dismissed calls for his resignation, stating, 'I’m not going to resign. I’m going to reign.'
Following his public statement, Adams' legal team filed a motion to dismiss the bribery charge related to allegations of accepting luxury travel bribes in exchange for favorable treatment for the Turkevi Center, a building in New York City. The indictment also suggests possible collusion between Adams' mayoral campaigns and Turkish officials dating back to 2016.
Adams refuted the charges against him, labeling them as false and based on lies. He insinuated that his criticism of the Biden administration's immigration policies may have led to his legal troubles, a claim that investigators have denied.
If convicted on all charges, Adams could face a maximum sentence of 45 years in prison. His next court appearance is scheduled for a conference before U.S. District Judge Dale E. Ho, who will oversee the case moving forward.
