New York Politics: Mayor Eric Adams speaks at a Queens church just a day after pleading not guilty to federal charges

QUEENS (WABC) — A day after pleading guilty to federal charges, New York City Mayor Eric Adams spent part of Saturday visiting a church in Queens.

The mayor delivered a speech at the Greater Allen AME Cathedral in New York City as the church celebrated the inauguration of its new reverend.

“We now reach a significant moment in our spiritual journey as a new brand player enters the field,” Adams said. “All the blessings and successes of his two famous predecessors.”

On Friday, Adams became the first sitting New York mayor to appear in a courtroom as a defendant in a criminal case. At his arraignment, he pleaded not guilty to bribery, wire fraud and accepting improper campaign contributions.

“I’m not guilty, your honor,” Adams told Judge Katharine Parker.

He then waived the public reading of the 57-page indictment, telling Judge Parker that he had already read it.

The indictment unsealed Thursday accused the Democrat of accepting various inappropriate gifts from Turkish officials and businessmen, including free hotel stays and heavily discounted airline tickets to destinations including France, China, Sri Lanka, India, Hungary, Ghana and Turkey.

Adams is specifically charged with bribery, soliciting illegal foreign campaign contributions, wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud – charges that could expose the mayor to significant prison time if convicted.

Prosecutors say Adams received free upgrades with significant discounts worth more than $100,000, as well as campaign contributions from straw donors, some of which helped him qualify for more than $10 million in public campaign funds.

“Mayor Adams accepted these contributions knowing they were illegal and intended to buy influence,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams. The indictment says the mayor took first-class flights and stayed in luxury hotels without disclosing gifts as required by law. “Year after year he kept the public in the dark by claiming he received no gifts,” Williams added.

RELATED | What is Mayor Eric Adams accused of? Read the indictment

The mayor is also accused of interfering with New York City Fire Department procedures to benefit foreign interests. In one case, Adams allegedly pressured fire inspectors to approve the opening of a Turkish consulate building despite safety concerns, all in exchange for personal favors.

Federal law prohibits foreigners from voting in U.S. elections as a safeguard to protect the democratic process. Williams detailed how Adams, aware of these restrictions, “directed his staff to try to obtain this illegal money” not only during his 2021 mayoral campaign but even after taking office, allegedly renewing the same relationships to finance his re-election bid.

The alleged conduct predates Adams’ time as mayor and dates back to his time as Brooklyn borough president. The indictment includes photos of luxury hotel rooms and other benefits the mayor allegedly enjoyed.

Parishioners of Greater Allen AME Cathedral Church in New York, however, say they support the mayor despite the accusations.

“I wish him very well and hope he stays in his position. Let him be proven guilty,” said parishioner Juan Mighty.

While calls for his resignation continue to grow, Adams remains defiant and insists his day job will not change. If he resigned, he would be replaced by city public defender Jumaane Williams, who would then schedule a special election.

“We have to press the mayor to answer questions about whether he believes he can handle everything that’s going on, and really only he can answer that question,” Williams said in an interview on CNN. “We need him to not only respond, but also come up with a plan as quickly as possible, and I think the window in which he can do that is closing quickly.”

Gov. Kathy Hochul, who has the power to remove the mayor, said she “carefully reviewed” the indictment on Thursday, which she called an “extremely difficult day for New York.”

While she didn’t call for Adams to resign, she said, “It’s now up to Mayor Adams to show the city he can lead.”

She added that as he reviews his options and responsibilities as governor, he expects the mayor to review the situation over the next few days and “find an appropriate path forward to ensure New Yorkers are well served by their leadership.”

“We must give New Yorkers confidence that there is consistent, responsible leadership at every level of government,” she said.

READ ALSO: The debate continues over whether Eric Adams should resign as mayor of New York

Meanwhile, Ingrid Lewis-Martin, the mayor’s top adviser, had her phone confiscated on Friday after returning to the United States from a vacation in Japan, her lawyer said.

Sources told ABC News that investigators also searched her home in Brooklyn.

“We’re not thieves, but I’m not mad at them. “I respect and understand that they have to do their job, and they were extremely gentlemanly with me today when I returned my devices,” Lewis-Martin said on a television radio program.

Multiple agencies are interested in Lewis-Martin, including the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and the Southern District of New York, the same prosecutor’s office that has charged the mayor with bribery, solicitation and fraud.

Spokesmen for both offices declined to comment.

Her lawyer, Arthur Aidala, released the following statement:

“Ingrid Lewis Martin received a subpoena from the Southern District of New York and her calls were forwarded to the New York County District Attorney’s Office. “She will cooperate fully with all investigations and Ms. Lewis is not the target of any case that we are aware of.”

ABC News and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

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