New York City Mayor Eric Adams laughed at a question about the FBI seizure at an unrelated news conference on Monday, a week after federal agents quietly confiscated phones and an iPad from the Democratic mayor as part of the bureau’s ongoing corruption investigation into… politics in the country. The largest and most prominent city.
Adams held a press conference at 6 East River Piers to make what City Hall described as a major transportation announcement.
As the mayor concluded the portion of the event where he took questions from the media, a reporter asked Adams: “Has the FBI confiscated the phone of anyone else on your team?”
A member of Adams’ team was shown berating the reporter on camera over an off-topic question, and the mayor quickly laughed and interrupted, saying: “We’re talking about helicopters.”
The mayor then quickly moved on to the “demonstration” portion of the event, and another member of the media was heard calling out: “This sounds like a technology question, you know?”
Adams, whose relationship with Democratic President Biden has soured in recent months as the city’s mayor demanded more action from the federal government to deter the influx of more than a hundred thousand migrants into New York City from the U.S.-Mexico border, was reportedly under investigation. The New York Times first reported on Sunday that the US has been accusing him of violating the law since at least the spring for potentially lobbying FDNY officials in the summer of 2021 to allow the opening of a high-rise building to house the Turkish consulate in Manhattan.
Adams’ office rebukes FBI employee who may have improperly leaked details of New York City corruption investigation
New York City Mayor Eric Adams scoffed at a question about who else on his team had the technology seized by the FBI as part of the agency’s corruption investigations. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)
Because federal law enforcement and prosecutors have not yet publicly disclosed the nature of the FBI investigation, the Adams administration responded to the Times report by condemning any FBI employee who may have “incorrectly leaked details about this investigation because such conduct could “It harms the public and undermines justice.” Our safety Law enforcement process.”
Adams insisted he had not been accused of any wrongdoing. Last month, FBI agents searched the Brooklyn home of Brianna Suggs, a top fundraiser for Adams’ campaign, prompting the mayor to cancel a planned trip to meet with White House officials in Washington and instead return to New York.
FBI agents confiscated Adams’ phones and iPads as he left a public event a week ago, an FBI lawyer revealed Friday, stressing that the mayor is cooperating with federal authorities.
Monday’s press conference unveiled Adams’ “new vision for a first-of-its-kind sustainable transportation and connectivity hub at the Midtown Manhattan Heliport (DMH).”
FBI agents confiscated Mayor Adams’ phones and iPads as he left a public event a week ago, an FBI lawyer revealed Friday, stressing that the mayor is cooperating with federal authorities. (Ed Reed/Mayor’s Office Photography via AP)
Under the plan, DMH aims to become the world’s first heliport with the infrastructure to support electric aviation by “integrating ocean and last-mile freight distribution and delivering significant quality-of-life improvements to New Yorkers by supporting quieter helicopter alternatives,” according to the office. Mayor.
FBI Probes Eric Adams Pressured New York City Officials to Open Turkey Consulate in Manhattan: Report
Through a new request for proposals, the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) is seeking an operator to upgrade a city-owned helipad to provide supporting infrastructure for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, as well as last-mile aircraft. And sea freight delivery.
An electric helicopter is on display at the heliport in midtown Manhattan. (APTN)
The request also calls for plans for on-site workforce development training in the aviation, maritime and other related sectors.
Adams suggested that a new “Center for Sustainable Transportation” would create better infrastructure for joystick-operated electric helicopters to one day make deliveries and move people.
“Within our lifetime, many of you will have your own personal electric helicopter. I mean that’s incredible when you think about it. It’s no different than a joystick in a video game,” Adams told reporters. “This has to be a city of yes where we rely on the capabilities of not just what we do on the ground, but what we do in our skies. To be able to be number one, moving faster to and from our places and airports and other locations, but to do it in a clean and green way.” And allowing our young people to earn some clean, green dollars in the process as they learn how to operate these devices, repair these devices, and design these devices. This is only the first time level.”
A demonstration of an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft at a midtown Manhattan helipad after Mayor Eric Adams’ press conference. (APTN)
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In what Adams’ office described as the first event of its kind in the United States, two eVTOL companies — Joby and Volocopter — conducted test flights of eVTOL aircraft from an urban heliport Monday at DMH. BETA Technologies, another company in this field, demonstrated the interoperable multi-modal electric charger it has developed.
The helipad will deploy infrastructure to serve a similar purpose of supporting electric aircraft.
FAA certification is expected as early as 2025, with commercial flights beginning soon after, Adams’ office said.
