NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – Federal investigators are looking into whether Mayor Eric Adams, weeks before his 2021 election, pushed New York Fire Department officials to approve the Manhattan high-rise housing the new Turkish Consulate General and ignore safety issues with the building, according to a report by the New York Times.
Adams reached out to then-FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro in the late summer of 2021, pressuring him to allow Turkish officials to occupy the building despite fire officials citing safety issues and previously refusing to sign off on occupancy, the report said.
The building in question is the now-Turkevi Center at 821 First Avenue, near the UN headquarters in Midtown East. The Turkevi Center also houses the Permanent Mission of Turkey to the United Nations.
The building had its grand opening on Sept. 21, 2021, which Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attended despite the reported flaws in the fire safety system.
Adams’ intervention in the housing of the Turkish Consulate General is being examined in the context of a greater federal public corruption investigation that led to his electronics, including at least two cell phones and an iPad, being seized by the FBI on Monday.
The FBI probe is focused on whether Adams’ 2021 campaign colluded with the Turkish government, including the Turkish Consulate General in New York, to receive illegal foreign donations.
A construction company in Brooklyn, KSK Construction, is an area of interest for federal investigators who are evaluating if the company, owned by Turkish immigrants, illegally funneled money into the Adams campaign.
The investigation came into the public eye when the Brooklyn home of Adams’ chief fundraiser, Brianna Suggs, was raided on Nov. 3. This prompted Adams to return to New York and cancel several high-profile meetings in Washington, D.C. regarding the migrant crisis.
In a statement issued by his campaign Adams, who served as Brooklyn borough president until 2021, relegated the communications as constituent services.
“As a Borough President, part of my routine role was to notify government agencies of issues on behalf of constituents and constituencies. I have not been accused of wrongdoing and I will continue to cooperate with investigators,” the statement said.
1010 WINS/WCBS 880 has reached out to Adams for comment.
Amid the seizure of Adam’s devices, campaign attorney Boyd Johnson said Adams gave his devices to investigators after finding out “an individual had recently acted improperly.”
“In the spirit of transparency and cooperation, this behavior was immediately and proactively reported to investigators,” Johnson said. “The mayor has not been accused of any wrongdoing and continues to cooperate with the investigation.”
Adams reinforced his commitment to cooperation on Friday when he confirmed that his devices were taken.
“As a former member of law enforcement, I expect all members of my staff to follow the law and fully cooperate with any sort of investigation and I will continue to do exactly that. I have nothing to hide,” Adams said.