MAGA Is Already Spinning Wild Conspiracies on Eric Adams’s Indictment
New York City Mayor Eric Adams is finding some strange defenders in the wake of a federal indictment: the MAGA crowd. Donald Trump’s fans—who are eager to demonize the Department of Justice, New York courts, and what they claim is the “weaponization of our country’s prosecutorial resources”—came to Adams’s defense in droves Wednesday night.Adams is expected to face federal charges in a federal corruption investigation. Federal agents raided his residence Thursday morning, and top officials in his administration have similarly been raided by the FBI and indicted, with several resigning.In a Trumpian turn, Adams has protested his innocence by implying that the probe is a witch hunt and saying that the charges are “based on lies.” The New York City mayor also cast blame on the federal government’s immigration response in the city, stating, “The federal government did nothing as its broken immigration policies overloaded our shelter system with no relief.”Republicans pounced on Adams’s comments about migrants and decided the investigation must be a hoax. “If you’re wondering why the system turned on one of its own …” wrote commentator Tomi Lauren, attaching a separate video of Adams complaining about the pressure on public services from increased immigration.“He was told to shut up by the ‘Democratic’ Party after this,” wrote Elon Musk, responding to a right-wing account posting the same speech. Some even suggested it was Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s doing. Billionaire Bill Ackman agreed. “Eric loudly spoke the truth on the migrant problem in NYC and what the consequences would be for New Yorkers and the country,” wrote Ackman. “Doing so required bravery, as sharing these views publicly as a Democratic mayor did not win him any friends in the Party or with the Biden/Harris administration.” (Ackman later stated he believed the indictment was “devastating and credible.”)Overall, it could become the GOP party line that because Adams criticized the Biden-Harris immigration policy, he had to be punished. In reality, though the specific charges Adams will face are currently under wraps, the investigation is likely related to illegal campaign contributions from foreign sources and a violation of the Foreign Agents Registration Act, not his policy on migrants. This story has been updated.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams is finding some strange defenders in the wake of a federal indictment: the MAGA crowd.
Donald Trump’s fans—who are eager to demonize the Department of Justice, New York courts, and what they claim is the “weaponization of our country’s prosecutorial resources”—came to Adams’s defense in droves Wednesday night.
Adams is expected to face federal charges in a federal corruption investigation. Federal agents raided his residence Thursday morning, and top officials in his administration have similarly been raided by the FBI and indicted, with several resigning.
In a Trumpian turn, Adams has protested his innocence by implying that the probe is a witch hunt and saying that the charges are “based on lies.” The New York City mayor also cast blame on the federal government’s immigration response in the city, stating, “The federal government did nothing as its broken immigration policies overloaded our shelter system with no relief.”
Republicans pounced on Adams’s comments about migrants and decided the investigation must be a hoax. “If you’re wondering why the system turned on one of its own …” wrote commentator Tomi Lauren, attaching a separate video of Adams complaining about the pressure on public services from increased immigration.
“He was told to shut up by the ‘Democratic’ Party after this,” wrote Elon Musk, responding to a right-wing account posting the same speech. Some even suggested it was Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s doing.
Billionaire Bill Ackman agreed. “Eric loudly spoke the truth on the migrant problem in NYC and what the consequences would be for New Yorkers and the country,” wrote Ackman. “Doing so required bravery, as sharing these views publicly as a Democratic mayor did not win him any friends in the Party or with the Biden/Harris administration.” (Ackman later stated he believed the indictment was “devastating and credible.”)
Overall, it could become the GOP party line that because Adams criticized the Biden-Harris immigration policy, he had to be punished.
In reality, though the specific charges Adams will face are currently under wraps, the investigation is likely related to illegal campaign contributions from foreign sources and a violation of the Foreign Agents Registration Act, not his policy on migrants.
This story has been updated.
