New York City Mayor Eric Adams finds himself at the center of a legal storm as a woman, whose identity remains confidential, filed a summons accusing him of sexual assault. The legal action, initiated under the recently enacted Adult Survivors Act, names Adams, the transit bureau of the NYPD, and the Guardian Association of the NYPD as defendants.
The summons, submitted in Manhattan’s state Supreme Court, alleges that the assault occurred in 1993 while both the plaintiff and Adams worked for the City of New York. However, the document lacks specifics about the incident. The mayor’s spokesperson swiftly responded, denying Adams’s involvement and stating, “If they ever met, he doesn’t recall it.”
Trial and at least $5 million in relief are sought by the plaintiff, who is represented by Megan Goddard. The Survivors Act gave survivors of sexual assault a one-year window to bring lawsuits that would have otherwise been time-barred by the statute of limitations. This court action is a part of a rush of last-minute filings made under the Act.
Adams, a former NYPD captain elected mayor in 2021, has been under increased scrutiny recently. The FBI raided his campaign fundraiser’s home, investigating potential illegal contributions from Turkey. In a separate incident, agents seized Adams’s electronic devices, asserting his cooperation in the investigation.
The accusations complicate Adams’s term even though no charges have been brought. This legal move comes after a number of well-known individuals have filed similar last-minute claims under the Adult Survivors Act against Axl Rose, Bill Cosby, Cuba Gooding Jr., and Sean “Diddy” Combs.
Adams insists on his innocence throughout the legal hurdles, saying, “I have nothing to hide.” The mayor must strike a careful balance as the judicial process progresses between responding to the allegations and carrying out his responsibilities as the head of the biggest city in the United States.
