Gothamist

As Mayor Eric Adams faces federal bribery charges and Gov. Kathy Hochul wades through historically dismal polling numbers, the MTA is enjoying a sudden, rare moment of...popularity? Why the sudden shift? https://lnkd.in/ea7T9YkR

In one hypercompetitive Hudson Valley congressional district, the left-leaning Working Families Party is campaigning on an unusual message: Don't vote for us. In most New York congressional races, the party line bears the Democratic nominee's name, giving the minor party a chance to stump for progressive issues while granting Democrats another chance to pick up votes. The 17th District is home to one of six congressional seats that New York Democrats are banking on to deliver them a majority in the House of Representatives. Former Democratic Rep. Mondaire Jones is trying to knock out Mike Lawler, a Republican incumbent whose seat is considered a toss-up. The race is so close that a little-known third-party candidate named Anthony Frascone could make the difference. But Frascone isn’t running like a regular candidate. If you drive around the Hudson Valley, you won’t see yard signs supporting Frascone for Congress. He doesn't have a campaign website. He has reported no fundraising. He does not respond to calls. When Gothamist rang his doorbell and left a business card, he did not answer. Even his neighbors didn’t know he was running for office. Learn more abut about Frascone in the comments ⤵️

New York Attorney General Letitia James and more than a dozen other state attorneys general have filed lawsuits against TikTok, accusing the social media giant of falsely claiming its platform is safe for young people, despite research suggesting otherwise. https://lnkd.in/ehUTjMST

Mohamed Bahi, a recently departed aide to New York City Mayor Eric Adams was arrested on Tuesday on charges of witness tampering and destroying evidence tied to an ongoing investigation into the mayor’s fundraising practices.

A new report on the future of Penn Station concludes the only way to expand train capacity at the rail hub is to expand its footprint — supporting Amtrak’s years-long proposal to tear down a Midtown block south of 31st Street to install new tracks. What do you think about Amtrak's proposal? Let us know in the comments ⤵️ https://lnkd.in/eJw-rf57

Prosecutors say they may bring additional charges against Mayor Eric Adams following his indictment last week on charges that he took illegal campaign contributions and bribes from foreign nationals, the Associated Press reports. The news came as Adams made his second court appearance in the case Wednesday. The mayor was expected to ask a judge to dismiss a bribery charge, arguing that he accepted “gratuities” from the Turkish government, not bribes. Head to our comments to learn more about the on-going case.

Meant to help level the playing field, #NewYorkCity has a generous $8-to$1 matching system for candidates that run for office. For every dollar raised by a city resident, they receive eight dollars in taxpayer funds. In 2021, Mayor Eric Adams' campaign received more than $10 million from the program. Adams has been charged with a five-count federal indictment that accuses him of accepting illegal campaign contributions. That means that the city's Campaign Finance Board — if it determines that the Adams' campaign broke the rules of the matching program — could order the campaign to repay the $10 million. It could also block him from ever receiving public funds again. But if it doesn't? Adams' 2025 campaign is set to receive millions from the city. Want more info on this works? Head to our comment section to learn more.

#NewYorkCity is launching the latest salvo in the city's war on rats, in the form of specialized bait that makes them infertile. Lawmakers see the rodent contraceptives as an alternative to the poison that sickens birds across the five boroughs — like Flaco, the majestic Eurasian eagle-owl who escaped from the #CentralPark Zoo and later died after crashing into a building with rat poison in his system. The City Council last week passed a bill mandating the city's health and sanitation departments team up for six months to target several #Manhattan neighborhoods with rat bait laced with rodent birth control. A smaller pilot of a rat contraceptive program last year was deemed a failure — but advocates say this time will be different due to a new, delicious formula. What do you think of NYC's new tactic in the war on rats? Let us know in the comments below ⤵️

Before he was indicted, he was an up-and-coming political star with a hardscrabble backstory. But his mayoral term ended in scandal after criminal charges of corruption and grift. The mayor was renowned for his elegance, charm and, depending on which journalist you asked, he was either brilliant or certifiably crazy. He shifted political allegiances before settling with the Democratic Party bosses who ran New York City — a choice that eventually led to his political downfall. More than 150 years before Mayor Eric Adams defiantly vowed to fight charges he took bribes from foreign officials, Mayor Abraham Oakey Hall battled his own indictments. The similarities between Hall and Adams are striking, and not because they are the only New York City mayors who have fought criminal charges while in office.

Mayor Eric Adams is accused of federal fraud and bribery charges in a 57-page federal indictment unsealed Thursday morning. A federal grand jury indicted him on five counts, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, solicitation of a contribution by a foreign national and bribery. The U.S. attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York is prosecuting the case. Prosecutors say Adams sought illegal contributions from foreign nationals during his 2021 mayoral campaign and in exchange for favors. They say the alleged bribery scheme continued after Adams was elected and has continued into his 2025 campaign. https://lnkd.in/e-UiQzdW