Mayor Eric Adams is unlikely to have his legal bills paid for by NYC taxpayers. He set up the Eric Adams Legal Defense Trust to raise money for his legal expenses related to his indictment and court case. The trust allows contributions of up to $5,000 per donor, but cannot accept donations from individuals with city contracts. Adams has raised $1.7 million and spent $1.1 million from the trust. His defense team includes attorney Alex Spiro, who also represented him in a sexual assault lawsuit where taxpayers covered the bill. It remains unclear if Spiro can represent Adams in both cases simultaneously. The Conflict of Interest Board confirmed that the defense trust is raising money for his federal case, while questions about the sexual assault case were directed to the city law department.
Mayor Eric Adams, currently facing an indictment and court case, is being represented by top legal talent. However, it is unlikely that NYC taxpayers are funding his defense. Instead, the payment for his legal representation is expected to come from the Eric Adams Legal Defense Trust, which the mayor established last November with Peter Aschkenasy as its trustee.
The legal defense trust allows public servants like Adams to raise funds to cover certain legal expenses. Contributions to the trust are limited to $5,000 per donor, and donations cannot be accepted from individuals with city contracts or business before the city. Adams’ trust has raised $1.7 million and spent over $1.1 million, according to the most recent disclosures in July.
Adams has hired high-profile attorneys such as Alex Spiro and Brendan R. McGuire to represent him in his legal matters. Spiro, known for representing notable clients like Elon Musk and Jay-Z, is handling Adams’ federal corruption case, while McGuire, the mayor’s former chief counsel, is also part of the legal team. There is a question regarding whether Spiro can represent Adams in both the federal corruption case, funded by private donors, and a separate civil sexual harassment case where taxpayers are covering the legal fees.
The Conflict of Interest Board, which oversees the legal defense trust, has confirmed that the fund is being used to cover legal expenses related to the federal case. Questions about the civil sexual harassment case, for which taxpayers are funding the defense, have been directed to the city law department. The involvement of multiple attorneys and the source of funding for Adams’ legal representation raise concerns about potential conflicts of interest and the transparency of the legal proceedings.
Source: TheCity.NYC
