President Trump Says He Would Consider Pardoning Prominent Democrat

President Trump said Monday he would consider pardoning New York City Mayor Eric Adams.

“I think that he was treated pretty unfairly,” Trump said of the Democratic mayor.

Adams has pleaded not guilty to federal corruption charges.

The 57-page indictment accuses Adams of conspiracy, wire fraud and bribery charges.

The historic indictment is the first against a sitting New York City mayor.

WATCH:

President-elect Donald Trump said he would consider pardoning New York City Mayor Eric Adams, saying Adams was treated “pretty unfairly.” https://t.co/MwMsppaLfU pic.twitter.com/7D8Nq9DOcW

— ABC News (@ABC) December 16, 2024

Per CNBC:

Speaking to reporters in Florida at his resort home Mar-a-Lago, Trump cautioned that he has not seen “the gravity of it all,” suggesting he had not closely studied the evidence against Adams.

But he went on to downplay the charges against the mayor, suggesting Adams was being accused of things as anodyne as accepting an upgrade on an international flight.

Adams, 64, was accused in September of accepting gifts, including luxury travel, from wealthy foreign businesspeople over nearly a decade. He was also charged with conspiracy related to potentially illegal campaign contributions for his 2021 mayoral bid.

Trump also seemed to suggest politics could be involved in the prosecution.

Adams “essentially went against what was happening with the migrants coming in” and “made some pretty strong statements,” Trump said.

Trump says he would consider pardoning NYC Mayor Eric Adams https://t.co/K074r2aBHy

— CNBC (@CNBC) December 16, 2024

“In 2014, Eric Adams, the defendant, became Brooklyn Borough President. Thereafter, for nearly a decade, Adams sought and accepted improper valuable benefits, such as luxury international travel, including from wealthy foreign businesspeople and at least one Turkish government official seeking to gain influence over him,” the indictment against Adams stated.

“By 2018, Adams – who had by then made known his plans to run for Mayor of New York City – not only accepted, but sought illegal campaign contributions to his 2021 Mayoral campaign, as well as other things of value, from foreign nationals,” it continued.

“As Adams’s prominence and power grew, his foreign-national benefactors sought to cash in on their corrupt relationships with him, particularly when, in 2021, it became clear that Adams would become New York City’s mayor,” it added.

BREAKING.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ federal indictment has been *UNSEALED.*

Mayor Adams is being charged with accepting bribes from “wealthy foreign business people,” including “at least one Turkish government official.”

He is also accused of campaign finance fraud. pic.twitter.com/Weoe9zIpzw

— Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) September 26, 2024

From ABC7 New York:

Adams is accused of accepting flight upgrades and other luxury travel perks valued at $100,000 along with illegal campaign contributions from a Turkish official and other foreign nationals looking to buy his influence. Multiple members of his administration have also come under investigation, including Ingrid Lewis-Martin, chief advisor and longtime aide to Mayor Adams, who announced Sunday that she is resigning from her post.

A grand jury in Lower Manhattan has been hearing evidence against Lewis-Martin and could vote on an indictment as soon as this week.

On Monday, Lewis-Martin’s attorney Arthur Aidala said he expects his client to be indicted on criminal charges related to alleged improper gifts, saying “we are pretty certain that one day this week we are going to be appearing in court at 100 Centre Street.”

Lewis-Martin’s lawyer, Arthur Aidala, told reporters at a news conference Monday that she had been invited to speak with the grand jury considering charges but declined because the outcome of the investigation appeared to be predetermined. He said they wanted the opportunity to clarify emails and text messages that could get taken out of context but are “easily explained away about what they mean.”

The case involves gifts given to Lewis-Martin, Aidala said, but he declined to discuss further details and claimed – without providing evidence – the case was politically motivated.

This is a Guest Post from our friends over at 100 Percent Fed Up.

View the original article here.