Former top aide to New York City’s mayor pleads not guilty in bribery case
Associated PressNEW YORK — The New York City mayor’s former chief adviser, her son and two real estate investors were indicted Thursday on bribery and conspiracy charges that came as the mayor himself fights a separate corruption case. “From the moment Lewis-Martin became the second most senior person in City Hall, she abused her position and sold her influence to enrich herself and her family,” prosecutors said in a court document. According to the indictment, Martin II asked Vaid by phone for help handling application “questions about previous business history and stuff.” Vaid responded that he would “be with you to take care of those.” In a text message, an attorney for Martin II, Michael Cibella, accused prosecutors of “twisting facts” against his client, who he said had merely “developed a friendship with successful, hard working businessmen.” The indictment goes on to describe Martin-Lewis discussing the franchise plan with an unidentified person and saying: “Your sister has to be rich! She has said she’s being “falsely accused” and that she had “not made any arrangements in advance to take any gifts or money, or to have any gifts or money given to a family member or friend in order for me to do my job.” Federal prosecutors charged Adams in September with accepting luxury travel perks and illegal campaign contributions from a Turkish official and other foreign nationals looking to buy his influence. Douglas Muzzio, a retired political science professor and longtime commentator on New York politics, said the latest charges involving City Hall “might be the final shoe to drop” in the public’s perception of Adams’ tenure.