In the aftermath of Eric Adams’s recently aborted campaign for reelection as New York City’s mayor, one thing remains clear: corruption not only weakens our democracy but also facilitates foreign authoritarian influence in America.
Adams had been indicted for bribery and fraud (the charges were subsequently dropped by the second Trump administration’s Department of Justice), including for allegedly accepting luxury travel benefits from Turkish officials and businessmen in return for pressuring the city to approve the opening of the Turkish consulate building. The seemingly paltry sum and minor policy outcome belie the slippery slope of patronage politics.
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