For months, New York City Mayor Eric Adams refused to criticize the federal authorities investigating his administration. Not anymore. As news of his indictment on corruption charges broke, Adams suggested that U.S. prosecutors had gone after him because he had criticized President Biden’s immigration policies.
“Despite our pleas, when the federal government did nothing as its broken immigration policies overloaded our shelter system with no relief, I put the people of New York before party and politics,” he said, reports the Associated Press. “I always knew that if I stood my ground for all of you, that I would be a target — and a target I became.” Adams' accusation marked a sharp turn for a retired police captain turned politician, whose commitment to law-and-order has been a calling card. The rhetoric was similar to that of other politicians who have found themselves facing accusations.
Former President Trump blamed the lawsuits and criminal charges against him on a political “witch hunt” orchestrated by Democrats. Adams echoed some of that rhetoric when he was charged with accepting illegal campaign contributions and free travel perks from Turkish officials and businesspeople looking to buy his influence. "We should ask [prosecutors], ‘Who gave the directive to carry out what we have witnessed over the last 10 months?’” Adams said. The White House has pushed back on the idea that Adams was targeted because of his complaints about not getting enough help from the federal government dealing with an influx of international migrants. Before he was indicted, Adams consistently said he was cooperating with the investigations and stressed that he was following the law. Columbia University law Prof. Richard Briffault described Adams’ current defensive posture as “a standard technique.” He said Adams is "not discussing any of the charges. He’s just saying the people who brought the charges don’t like him. If the facts are against you, move onto something else. If the facts are against you, try to go after the prosecutors."
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