Mayor Traded Luxury Perks from Turkey for Silence on Armenian Genocide
NEW YORK — The New York City Council should demand the resignation of Mayor Eric Adams in the wake of his indictment for bribery, corruption, illegal campaign donations, and illicit influence exerted by the Turkish government, in exchange for which the Mayor granted Turkey various concessions, including his refusal to commemorate the Armenian Genocide, an annual tradition in New York City, the Armenian Bar Association said on Tuesday.
“Eric Adams has betrayed not just the people of New York City, but Armenians around the world, selling the erasure of our tragic history for a few luxury perks from the Turkish government,” said Lucy Varpetian, Chair of the Armenian Bar Association. “He should resign immediately, and if he fails to resign, the New York City Council and Governor Kathy Hochul should act to force his resignation.”
The federal indictment against Eric Adams states, among other acts of corruption, that on April 21, 2022, a Turkish official contacted a staff member of Mayor Adams to seek assurances that he would refrain from making any public statement about the Armenian Genocide as Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day approached. The staff member confirmed that the Mayor would not make such a statement, and ultimately, Mayor Adams failed to acknowledge this critical historical atrocity.
The indictment describes the various bribes that the Turkish government made to Eric Adams, including straw man donations to his campaigns, discounted first class travel to various destinations on Turkish Airlines, luxury hotels in Istanbul, and various other perks and rewards.
“It is unacceptable for any public official to bow to foreign pressure, particularly on matters of historical significance and human rights, and it is unlawful for any public official to do so in exchange for bribes and donations,” Varpetian said. “The Armenian Genocide is a crime that the current Turkish government continues to deny and seeks to erase from our shared human history, and Eric Adams has helped them in their nefarious mission.”
The Armenian Genocide, which took place between 1915 to 1923 in the Ottoman Empire in present-day Turkey, was a genocide that claimed the lives of 1.5 million Armenians and forced the deportation of its survivors. The Genocide has received and continues to receive worldwide recognition and remembrance, including by President Joe Biden in 2021.
Mayor Adams’ actions not only undermine the trust of the citizens he represents but also compromise the moral standing of New York City on global human rights issues. We urge all concerned citizens, elected officials, and community leaders to join us in demanding accountability and integrity in our leadership, starting with the immediate resignation of Eric Adams.
