New York City Mayor Eric Adams speaks to reporters after a news conference in New York, Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. AP Photo/Seth Wenig
Another top adviser to New York City Mayor Eric Adams resigned Monday, even as the Democrat’s lawyer criticized the federal corruption case against him and asked a judge to toss out bribery charges.
Timothy Pearson, one of the mayor’s closest confidants, submitted his resignation Monday evening, weeks after federal agents seized cellphones, documents and cash from his Long Island home, said his attorney, Hugh H. Mo.
Pearson, a retired police inspector who served in the department alongside Adams, had a broad role that included overseeing contracts and security at migrant shelters while also maintaining significant influence over the police department.
He has not been publicly accused of wrongdoing by prosecutors or charged with a crime.
Adams, a Democrat, pleaded not guilty Friday to charges that he accepted lavish travel benefits and illegal campaign contributions from a Turkish official and others, and in return performed favors including pushing through the opening of a Turkish consulate building.
The mayor’s attorneys filed a motion Monday saying that the cheap flights to overseas destinations, seat upgrades, free meals and free hotel rooms he got were not bribes under federal law.
“Congressmen get upgrades. They get corner suites. They get better tables at restaurants. They get free appetizers. They have their iced tea filled up,” his attorney, Alex Spiro, said at a news conference. “Courtesies to politicians are not federal crimes.”
While not disputing that Adams accepted flight upgrades and deeply discounted or free travel, Spiro said his client had never promised to take action on behalf of the Turkish government in exchange for the perks, which prosecutors say were worth more than $100,000.
“There was no quid pro quo. There was no this for that,” Spiro said.
Besides the case against Adams, prosecutors…
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