Mayor Adams of NYC Refutes Allegations of Campaign Fundraising Wrongdoing

New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Friday denied knowing of any questionable fundraising activities in the wake of his top campaign fundraiser’s home being raided by FBI agents the day before.

On Thursday, just hours after departing from the Big Apple for Washington, D.C., Adams suddenly canceled plans to meet with the White House about his city’s migrant crisis shortly after it was announced that the FBI raided home of fundraiser Brianna Suggs, per the Washington Examiner and the New York Daily News.

On Friday, Adams said in a statement: “I want to be clear, I have no knowledge, direct or otherwise, of any improper fundraising activity — and certainly not of any foreign money. We will of course work with officials to respond to inquiries, as appropriate — as we always have.”

Regarding Suggs, Adams said, “She stood up. From an intern, became a good staffer and ran our entire fundraising apparatus.” According to Suggs, she played a significant role in raising $19 million toward Adams’ mayoral campaign.

But in the wake of the raid, Adams expressed his disdain for the possibility that his campaign could have been used “to manipulate our democracy.”

In response, Adams’ campaign, through its lawyer Vito Pitta, announced he is combing through all campaign records and examining the work and contributions connected to Suggs.

On Wednesday, the night before the FBI raid, a request was made for a New York Police Department wellness check at Suggs’ home.

On Thursday, Adams and two other Democratic mayors, Brandon Johnson of Chicago and Mike Johnston of Denver, were scheduled to meet in Washington, D.C., to discuss their cities’ migrant crises stemming from the southern border.

On Thursday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, when asked about the mayors’ meeting and the border crisis, stated that the fate of U.S. national security was ultimately up to Republicans.

“It was a constructive conversation,” Jean-Pierre said of the meeting. “… We understand what’s going on on the ground, and this is why we say, ‘You know, … if Republicans truly care about border security — this is something as we talked about the national security supplemental [funding request]; we know that’s included — then they can act.”

On Oct. 5, while attending a meeting in Mexico, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told the media, that “From Day 1, this administration has made clear that a border wall is not the answer. That remains our position, and our position has never wavered.”

On Nov. 15, FBI Director Christopher Wray testified before the House Homeland Security Committee that the ongoing Israel-Hamas war could give rise to terrorist violence in the U.S.