Feds fire back at Mayor Adams’ bid to drop bribery charge, say Turkish perks were far from ‘routine’

The feds fired back Friday at Mayor Eric Adams’ bid to toss part of his corruption case – ripping his claim that the luxury goodies showered on him by Turkish benefactors were “routine” perks for politicians.

The court filing – a response to Adams’ lawyers’ Sept. 30 motion urging a Manhattan federal judge to can a bribery charge – slams the defense’s argument that the feds are unjustly criminalizing Hizzoner’s “common” political activity.

“Adams claims that accepting tens of thousand of dollars’ worth of benefits in exchange for pressuring a City agency is ‘routine’ and ‘common’,” federal prosecutors quipped in a 30-page court filing.

“But however routine that may have been for Adams, the law permits a jury to conclude that it was nonetheless illegal.”

The bribery count is one of five charges the mayor faces in the unprecedented case.

Mayor Eric Adams has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges he faces. John Angelillo/UPI/Shutterstock

Adams is accused of accepting $123,000 worth of bribes from a Turkish diplomat and Turkish businesspeople – including cushy flight upgrades and discounted stays at luxe hotels – as well as thousands of dollars in illegal money funneled to his 2021 mayoral campaign.

Adams’ lawyers have urged a judge in Manhattan federal court to dismiss the bribery charge in his corruption indictment. Paul Martinka

In exchange, Adams did favors on behalf of his benefactors, including, as de facto mayor-elect in September 2021, pressuring the FDNY to rush to open a new 36-story Turkish consular building despite fire safety concerns, the indictment alleges.

Prosecutors also countered a claim made by Adams’ attorney Alex Spiro that some of the benefits the mayor allegedly scooped up were not “bribes” as the US Supreme Court defines them, but merely legal “gratuities.”

The discounted flights, travel and alleged illegal funds steered to his campaign were all accepted with Adams “agreeing ‘to be influenced,’ whereas gratuities are given as ‘a token of appreciation,’” the feds wrote, quoting from a recent Supreme Court decision on the matter.

Adams has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges he faces and has remained in his post as mayor while the case plays out.

His attorneys have pushed for a trial as soon as March 2025, while prosecutors have floated the possibility of adding more charges in what’s known as a “superseding” indictment.

Adams’ reps have until Oct. 25 to respond to the feds’ Friday motion. US District Judge Dale Ho will rule after that.

The mayor’s attorneys did not immediately respond Friday to a request for comment.