Mayor Eric Adams Faces Multiple Investigations, Sexual Assault Accusation and Heavy Defense Cost

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has enlisted top-tier defense lawyers at taxpayer expense as he confronts multiple investigations and legal actions against him. The latest allegation involves an alleged sexual assault in 1993 while serving as a police officer, which is currently the subject of litigation. In addition to this case, Adams’ campaign has come under scrutiny for its purported ties with Turkey’s government by prosecutors from the Southern District of New York.
Adams has already engaged WilmerHale, an esteemed law firm that represents him in relation to his connection to Turkish authorities. The organization has been compensated $730,000 through Adams’ legal defense fund so far. Moreover, Randy Mastro is being considered for the position of corporation counsel by City Council; if appointed and confirmed, he would receive a salary of $250,000 annually.
Alex Spiro, an accomplished attorney with notable clients like Elon Musk, Jay-Z, and Alec Baldwin has been retained by the city to handle Adams’ legal predicament in relation to his sexual assault case. The mayor will be paying Spiro $250 per hour under this arrangement.
As explained by Mayor Adams himself as well as his lawyers, hiring outside counsel enables municipal attorneys to concentrate on issues such as those related to the migrant crisis instead of being diverted towards these legal disputes involving him personally. Nevertheless, some are skeptical about using public funds for covering a mayor’s personal expenses in court, particularly with regard to sexual assault allegations against Adams from over two decades ago.
Former Mayor Bill de Blasio spent more than $10 million of taxpayer money on legal counsel during his time dealing with federal investigations, while former Governor Andrew Cuomo racked up at least $20 million in legal fees concerning various sexual harassment probes against him. So far, Adams’ defense fund has garnered a total contribution of one million dollars from donors.
In addition to the mayor himself, Timothy Pearson – an assistant to Mayor Adams- is also being financed by taxpayers as he confronts allegations in connection with accusatory remarks regarding his conduct towards female law enforcement personnel mentioned in legal filings submitted recently.