**Mayor Eric Adams Faces Bribery and Campaign Contribution Charges**
Mayor Eric Adams of New York City is gearing up for a court appearance on Wednesday to address allegations of accepting bribes and illegal campaign contributions. The Democrat is expected to appear before a judge at a federal courthouse in Manhattan at 10:30 a.m.
The charges against Adams stem from an indictment last week, accusing him of accepting approximately $100,000 in free or discounted international trips, flights, hotel stays, meals, and entertainment. These perks were allegedly organized by a senior Turkish diplomatic official in New York and Turkish businesspeople seeking influence with Adams.
In response to the accusations, Adams has denied knowingly taking illegal campaign contributions and stated that the travel perks and assistance he provided to Turkish officials were routine constituent services as part of his job.
The trial overseer, Dale Ho, may also address a request to investigate potential leaks from prosecutors to the media regarding the investigation. While no evidence of grand jury rule violations has been cited, reports by The New York Times have highlighted instances where the investigation became public knowledge.
The timing of the trial is crucial as New York’s mayoral primary is approaching in June, where Adams is expected to face multiple challengers. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.
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