Gov. Kathy Hochul is standing by Mayor Eric Adams after the FBI raided the home of his chief fundraiser.
"I have seen no coverage or reporting that says the mayor has been accused of any wrongdoing, and so we're going to continue working together," Hochul said this week.
What You Need To Know
- Gov. Kathy Hochul says she will continue working with Mayor Eric Adams on the migrant crisis following an FBI raid on the mayor's chief fundraiser's home
- The head of a construction firm reportedly tied to the FBI probe — KSK Construction, based in Brooklyn — has contributed thousands of dollars to political candidates since 1997
- The mayor has said he is unfamiliar with the construction firm and that he has not been contacted by any law enforcement agency
- No charges have been filed in the FBI investigation
Her remarks follow the mayor's appearance Sunday at the Purpose Life Church in Brooklyn.
He spoke from the pulpit about his life of struggle growing up, and he assured the crowd that he lives by the code of a higher power, not like the man they see in the papers.
"So my face would show up on front pages — is there unethical or immoral behavior? I live within the confines of my religious beliefs, that I'm here to serve," Adams told the congregants.
He made this remark days after his chief fundraiser got raided by the FBI as part of an investigation into the mayor's campaign fundraising.
Adams and his fundraiser, Brianna Suggs, has not been accused of wrongdoing.
The raid reportedly is part of an investigation into the campaign's relationship with a Brooklyn construction company, KSK Construction, and the Turkish government.
KSK is headquartered in Williamsburg, and its website lists condominium projects as its specialty.
According to public city campaign filings, 10 of the construction firm's employees contributed $12,700 total to Adams' 2021 campaign for mayor — including a $1,500 contribution from the firm's owner, Erden Arkan.
Records show Arkan has been contributing to candidates in the city since 1997, totaling $13,900.
That includes contributions to former Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, who told NY1 he recalled that Arkan seemed like a nice man. However, Markowitz said he had no social ties to him beyond meeting him at a fundraiser, and that Arkan was known in Brooklyn's Turkish community.
No charges have been filed in the investigation.
Emails to KSK were not returned and there was no answer at a number listed for Arkan.
Adams has said he is unfamiliar with the firm, and that he's received thousands of campaign donations.
The mayor has also said he has not been contacted by any law enforcement agency and that the campaign will fully comply with the investigation.