Federal investigation casts a shadow over City Hall

A federal investigation touching Mayor Eric Adams and his political fundraising cast a growing shadow over City Hall this autumn, as agents seized the mayor's phones and searched the home of a top fundraiser, thrusting his administration into legal turmoil.

The inquiry, led by federal prosecutors in Manhattan, appeared to focus on whether the mayor's campaign had received illegal foreign contributions and whether favours had been exchanged. The mayor was not charged at the time and insisted he had done nothing wrong, pledging to cooperate fully with investigators.

The scrutiny intensified pressure on an administration already grappling with the migrant crisis, budget strains and questions about its competence and direction. Several senior officials and associates found themselves drawn into various investigations, fuelling a sense of an administration under siege.

Adams sought to project business as usual, continuing to govern and to defend his record, while his allies accused prosecutors and critics of piling on. But the drip of revelations dominated local headlines and raised uncomfortable questions about his political future.

The investigation marked a dramatic turn for a mayor who had campaigned on competence and integrity. Its ultimate course was uncertain, but it had already destabilised his administration and reshaped the city's political landscape, leaving City Hall to govern under a cloud that would not soon lift.