New York Mayor Eric Adams admitted he helped the Turkish consulate get approval to open, saying politicians do this “every day.”
During his weekly news conference on Tuesday, the Democrat said he was just doing his job to support Brooklyn’s Turkish community, which needed FDNY approval to open.
“If the constituency contacts us for assistance with another agency … please contact an agency and ask them to investigate the matter,” Adams said.
He went on to say that the only person he spoke to in the FDNY in 2021 was former Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro.
The comments come as the mayor’s lead lawyer, Lisa Zornberg, said: “There is no indication that I have seen that the mayor is a target” of the public corruption investigation targeting his 2021 campaign and the Turkish government.
New York Mayor Eric Adams admitted during his weekly briefing Tuesday that he helped the Turkish consulate get approval
Although the mayor and his staff quickly dodged questions about the current FBI investigation into his 2021 campaign, Adams said his involvement in the building is what politicians “do every day.”
The New York Post reported that the FDNY deemed the Turkish consulate building “unsafe” when officials tried to open the Manhattan building
Adams himself went on to brush off most of Tuesday’s questions regarding the ongoing investigation, while his top attorney minimized the investigation. On Monday, he sidestepped questions about the investigation in which FBI agents raided the home of his top fundraiser.
Just last week, Adams’ phones and iPad were seized by the FBI after they stopped him in the middle of the street.
The devices were returned to Adams within a few days. The FBI can make copies of data from seized devices if they have a search warrant.
On Sunday, Adams demanded that the federal agency stop leaks from the investigation after CBS reported that the FBI was investigating a 2021 text message sent to the mayor.
The texts showed that the Turkish consul general asked about the opening of the new consul building on First Avenue, opposite the United Nations.
Adams, then Brooklyn borough president, did not respond to the message, but forwarded it to Nigro.
The New York Post reported that the FDNY deemed the Turkish consulate building “unsafe.”
Adams along with former FDNY Fire Chief Daniel Nigro. The mayor said Nigro was the FDNY person he spoke to in 2021 about opening the Turkish consulate that was under construction
Adams said he has made sure to support Brooklyn’s Turkish community, which has the second largest population after Paterson, New Jersey.
The Brooklyn home of Adam’s top fundraiser and longtime confidante Brianna Suggs, 25, was raided by the FBI on Nov. 2 as part of an investigation into an alleged kickback scheme.
Sources also told The Post that after Nigro became involved, the Ministry of Buildings agreed to issue a temporary occupancy certificate.
Adams made clear during Tuesday’s briefing that his role in the case was not mean-spirited, but an act of good politics. He added that Brooklyn has the largest Turkish population in the US after Paterson, New Jersey.
“Advocating for diverse constituencies is standard procedure for an elected official,” said Congresswoman Jennifer Rajkumar.
On November 2, FBI agents raided the home of Brianna Suggs, the 25-year-old top fundraiser and longtime confidante of the mayor, as part of an investigation into an alleged kickback scheme.
Federal agents raided Suggs’ home looking for evidence of foreign interference in New York City’s latest mayoral election.
After the FBI raid on Suggs, Adams said he sleeps well at night and continues to support her.
He also added that he has since hired a personal attorney, Boyd Johnson.
Officers are shown outside Suggs’ home in Crown Heights after the Nov. 2 raid
Johnson said his client complied “immediately” with the FBI’s request and handed over his electronic devices to them when asked.
“After becoming aware of the federal investigation, it was discovered that an individual had recently acted inappropriately… In the spirit of transparency and cooperation, this conduct was immediately and proactively reported to investigators,” Johnson added.
Johnson did not specify the inappropriate conduct cited or identify the individual cited.
Adams has said he would be “shocked and hurt” if officials discovered his campaign had done anything illegal. The mayor laughed off the question of whether he personally could face federal charges.
Mayor Adams visited the Turkish Consulate General building on May 22, 2023, after it was vandalized
Adams recently revealed that he has hired personal defender Boyd Johnson
The mayor also told reporters that he decided to give Suggs an opportunity to work in politics that “African Americans don’t get.”
“African Americans are often not allowed to play on a national scale, as fundraisers, media, speechwriters… I had a young, brilliant young lady who was an intern, hardworking, willing to work as many hours as she could,” he said. said.
“We saw an opportunity to open up the path for her that I saw others get… she worked hard, she learned, and the people who met her were truly blown away, and I’m proud of her and she will get through this. .’
It is unclear who will be the subject of the criminal case, if it occurs, and neither Adams nor anyone associated with his campaign has been charged with any crimes.
