Former Gov. Paterson defends Mayor Adams in ‘Orwellian’ FBI probe 

Former Gov. Paterson defends Mayor Adams in ‘Orwellian’ FBI probe

By Hellen Zaboulani

New York City Mayor Eric Adams was defended by Former NY Gov. David Paterson, amid the Federal probe into Adams’ 2021 mayoral fundraising campaign.

As reported by the NY Post, Paterson defended Mayor Adams— describing the FBI’s actions as “Orwellian.”  On Sunday morning, in an interview on WABC 770 AM’s “The Cats Roundtable”, Paterson said the FBI’s moves to raid the homes of Adams’ aides and to confront him while he was in his vehicle to get his mobile devices, “seems very unusual.”  Paterson, 69, a Democrat who had served as governor from 2008 to 2010, was particularly irked that the probe interrupted the mayor, while he was on an important trip to Washington, trying to obtain federal assistance to combat the migrant crisis, prompting him to come back to NY before even meeting with President Joe Biden.  “They bother the mayor by going to his fundraiser’s home on the same day that he’s coming to Washington to talk to [the White House] about the migration situation. And then they run up on him at some event and say that they wanted security to get out of the way. They get in the car with him. They take his cell phones and electronic equipment,” he told host John Catsimatidis.  “That is sounding a little more Orwellian to me than what has gone on in the past,” he said, making reference to George Orwell’s book, Nineteen Eighty-Four, describing a dystopian future totalitarian state.

The FBI and Manhattan federal prosecutors are investigating whether Adams’ 2021 campaign helped speed up the opening of the new Turkish Consulate Building, near the U.N., possibly in exchange for acceptance of illegal donations, including from straw donors with links to Turkey, via a Brooklyn construction company. As previously reported by the Jewish Voice, by scourging through the Mayor’s text messages on four electronic devices, the feds have found that Hizzoner was asked by Turkish Consul General Reyhan Özgür  f he could help speed the process along, after he won the Democratic primary for mayor in 2021.  He had in turn forwarded the request to then-FDNY commissioner Daniel Nigro, to look into the delays, and after several days was notified that the approval was received.

Neither Adams nor his campaign officials have been accused of a crime at this time.  Adams has vehemently denied any wrongdoing.  “This is what we do as elected officials,” Adams said. “I would be neglectful in my duties if a constituency reaches out to me and ask for assistance, and I’m not giving them that assistance and asking the agency to look into their inquiry.”  Adams also dismissed the idea that he had received any donations from improperly disclosed sources. “We don’t do the straw donors,” he said, referring to donations where the donor’s identity is hidden.

Paterson agreed that the mayor’s assistance was common practice. “They’re saying that when he was [Brooklyn] borough president, he asked the Fire Department to look into the [building approval] for the Turkish consulate. Maybe he did do that. It’s not a crime,” Paterson said.

Notwithstanding, Mayor Adam’s popularity has plummeted amid the scandal, coupled with the migrant crisis and expected budget deficit, the Post reported.  Last week, a Marist College Poll released showed that 54% of NYC residents disapproved of Adams’ job performance while just 37% gave a thumbs up, indicating a significant drop in his approval levels compared to last year.  Also 72% of NYC dwellers said they thought Adams did something wrong to prompt the federal probe.  Just 18% said they believed Adams did nothing wrong, while 10% were  not sure, per the poll.