FBI Investigating Whether Adams Pressured FDNY On Turkish Consulate: Report

NEW YORK — The FBI is probing whether Mayor Eric Adams in the weeks before his election in 2021 pressured city fire officials to greenlight a new consulate for the Turkish government in Manhattan despite worries about safety, according to the New York Times, citing three people who were knowledgable about the situation.

The latest news comes after electronic devices, including the mayor's phones, were seized by FBI agents Monday night amid an investigation into whether Adams' campaign received illegal donations from the Turkish government, his campaign confirmed.

The surprise seizure unfolded as Adams was on the street, the New York Times first reported and his campaign attorney, Boyd Johnson, confirmed to Patch. Johnson, without providing details, said improper behavior by "an individual" was reported to investigators and the mayor was cooperating.

Adams last week told reporters he directed campaign staff to follow rules and that, “I sleep well at night,” also saying in a prepared statement, “I have nothing to hide.”

Following his Democratic mayoral primary win, Adams in late summer 2021 contacted former Fire Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro, urging him to allow temporary occupancy of the $300 million consulate ahead of a September visit from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, according to the Times.

“As a borough president, part of my routine role was to notify government agencies of issues on behalf of constituents and constituencies,” Adams, who was Brooklyn’s borough president at the time, said in a statement to the Times issued through his campaign. “I have not been accused of wrongdoing, and I will continue to cooperate with investigators.”

Over the summer of 2021, the fire department rejected a protection plan associated with the consulate and the buildings department issued the project a violation in response to a glass panel that fell 10 floors, the Times reported. In September, issues with smoke detectors, elevators and more were reported, according to the Times, which added the building was to be staffed with fire watch guards in the interim and noted it is still under a temporary occupancy certificate.