The FBI investigation linked to Eric Adams’ campaign positions him as one of the latest Black mayors who has faced public scrutiny because of the agency.
Officials are looking into whether the Turkish government poured foreign money into the New York City mayor’s 2021 campaign to advance election efforts. Last week, federal agents seized multiple electronic devices from Adams, including an iPad and cellphones, according to reports.
The feds reportedly jumped into his SUV with a warrant after an event. It’s not clear if the seizure is connected to the ongoing investigation.
“The Mayor immediately complied with the FBI’s request and provided them with electronic devices,” said his attorney Boyd Johnson, per reports. “The mayor has not been accused of any wrongdoing and continues to cooperate with the investigation.”
He is the latest Black mayor tied to a federal investigation throughout the years:
Marion Barry
Marion Barry, formerly the mayor of Washington D.C., was sentenced to six months for the possession of crack cocaine in the early 1990s. In a turn of events, he was reelected for the fourth time in 1994, years after the scandal. He died in 2014 at the age of 78.
John Street
In the early 2000s, ex-Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Mayor John Street’s office was bugged by an FBI agent who was investigating “a pay-for-play scheme,” local news reported. After it was found, it played a role in flipping an election in Street’s favor, and the politician wasn’t charged with a crime.
Kwame Kilpatrick
In 2013, former Detroit, Michigan, mayor Kwame Kilpatrick was convicted of racketeering conspiracy, which included fraud, bribery and extortion. He was handed down a 28-year prison term but was released two years ago after former President Donald Trump granted him clemency.
Kilpatrick, who still had to complete three years of supervised release, requested for it to end early but received pushback…
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