New York City Mayor Eric Adams has come under scrutiny for his involvement in the construction of a new Turkish consulate building. Reports have emerged suggesting that Adams pressured the city to approve the building despite unresolved safety concerns. However, the mayor has defended his actions, asserting that he has not been accused of any wrongdoing and will cooperate with investigators.

The controversy surrounding the Turkish consulate building project began shortly after Adams, then the Brooklyn Borough President, won the Democratic mayoral primary in 2021. It was revealed that he had reached out to Daniel Nigro, the city's fire commissioner at the time, to encourage the use of the building by Turkish government officials. The building had not yet opened due to fire department officials withholding occupancy approval over safety concerns.

Adams released a statement on Sunday via campaign spokesperson Evan Thies, stating that, as the Brooklyn Borough President, he had a responsibility to address issues on behalf of constituents and constituencies. He maintained his innocence, emphasizing that he had not been accused of any wrongdoing and would fully cooperate with investigators.

City Hall Chief Counsel Lisa Zornberg echoed Adams' statement, affirming that the mayor and his team are cooperating with investigators. Zornberg expressed hope that investigators would also cooperate and take action against any federal officer who leaked details of the investigation, citing potential prejudice and a threat to the integrity of the law enforcement process.

The ongoing investigation into the campaign fundraising activities has led the FBI to seize multiple electronic devices from Adams. However, his team has claimed that they voluntarily alerted authorities to someone who had acted improperly. During a recent news conference, Adams expressed confidence that his campaign had not engaged in any illegal behavior.

Text exchanges between Adams, Nigro, and Turkish Consul General Reyhan Özgür from September 2021 suggested that the mayor may have played a role in expediting the opening of the Turkish government's new building. Sources familiar with the text messages indicated that Adams had asked Nigro to look into the issue of obtaining a temporary certificate of occupancy from the fire department. However, there was no evidence of any explicit instructions to bypass safety protocols.

In a separate development, it was reported earlier this month by NBC New York that Adams had raised over $2 million for his re-election campaign in 2025. Adams, a former NYPD captain, had campaigned as a tough-on-crime Democrat, promising to increase police staffing and funding in the city.

In July, six individuals were charged in an alleged scheme to funnel illicit funds to Adams' campaign through straw donors. Two individuals have pleaded guilty to their involvement. The charges, filed in state court, did not implicate Adams, and his representatives have maintained that he had no knowledge of the alleged scheme.

As the investigation into both the Turkish consulate building project and the campaign fundraising continues, Mayor Eric Adams remains firm in his assertion of innocence and his commitment to cooperating with authorities. The outcome of these investigations will determine their impact on his tenure as mayor and his political future.