A campaign donor and former fellow NYPD colleague at the center of an illegal fundraising scheme attended a Black History Month reception at Gracie Mansion, Mayor Eric Adams told reporters Monday.
Dwyane Montgomery, who served as a police inspector in Harlem and socialized with Adams, is among six individuals charged last Friday with steering illegal donations to the mayor’s 2021 campaign.
Adams has not been accused of any wrongdoing. But Montgomery, who has pleaded not guilty, appears to have had the closest relationship with him. An attorney for Montgomery did not respond to a request for comment.
“I would see Dwyane at events,” Adams said inside the City Hall rotunda, as Brendan McGuire, the mayor’s chief counsel, looked on. “He was very well known in Harlem.”
Pressed on whether he had ever received Montgomery at Gracie Mansion, Adams said he recalled spotting him from the podium at the Black History Month reception. He did not specify whether the event took place this year or last.
Monday’s appearance with reporters marked the mayor’s first public event following a week marked by several controversial stories. They included a New York Times report that he ordered aides to create a new photo of a fallen police officer to make it appear that the image had been tattered from years of being in his wallet and culminated with news of the indictments from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
Adams has dismissed the Times story.
Montgomery has also been linked to Philip Banks III, the deputy mayor of public safety who also worked in the NYPD. He sold a security company to Banks in 2015, according to Hellgate.
According to the indictment, Montgomery in July 2021 told one of the defendants over the phone that Adams “doesn’t want to do anything” unless he received $25,000 in contributions.
Asked about that reference, Adams said that it referred to thresholds related to him appearing at fundraising events.
“You need to use your time appropriately,” he said. “My fundraising team sits down and decides what are the ways we’re going to get Eric physically present, off the campaign trail for two hours. What is it going to take for us to do that?”
Adams defended his campaign’s practices, saying he instituted clear instructions.
“I’m consistent, everyone must follow the rules,” he added.
#Mayor #Adams #donor #accused #illegal #fundraising #scheme #attended #Gracie #Mansion #event