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New York City Mayor Eric Adams slammed the New York Times on Monday after the outlet published an exposé about his trips to expensive city restaurants and nightclubs without proving that he or his entourage has been paying expenses.
The Times article, by reporters Sarah Maslin Nir and Jazmine Hughes, detailed Adams' outings to two swanky New York City establishments where he was schmoozing with politicians and other high rollers, eating expensive meals, and so far giving no indication that he has been paying the bills.
The report detailed that if Adams were being provided free meals or free VIP status at these elite locales, it "raises ethical questions." "Public servants are explicitly barred from accepting gifts worth $50 or more from city vendors," the outlet noted.
According to the New York Post, Adams trashed the report shortly after it was published, calling it a "silly, silly story" and insinuating that the paper is unhealthily preoccupied with his after-work dealings.
New York Mayor Eric Adams speaks during a news conference at City Hall in New York City, U.S., January 24, 2022. (REUTERS/Brendan McDermid)
"I have to ask myself, is something going on with The New York Times right now?" he asked, adding, "The stories that they’re writing about me, I know people write stories, you get a lot of clicks when Eric Adams’ name is in it. But the front page of the New York Times talked about me going to restaurants?"
When pressed by reporters about who had been hosting him at several ritzy New York City hangouts, including Italian restaurant Osteria La Baia and the private nightclub Zero Bond, Adams refused to give names. He responded, "If I tell you who I go with, y’all going to do full-page stories on them. Nobody’s going to want to hang out with me anymore. Because people are going to follow them, they’re going to watch them."
The Times piece exposed his frequent trips to Osteria La Baia, writing, "Again and again he returns to the same upscale Manhattan restaurant. There, he slips behind a frosted glass partition to a private table where he holds court, while the restaurant stays open until he leaves — sometimes well after its official closing time."
Osteria La Baia, which the report noted is owned by "Adams’s close friends Robert and Zhan Petrosyants," – two men who have "past felony convictions, outstanding tax debts and a trail of legal troubles" features entrée prices from "about $30 to over $60."
"Times reporters never observed him paying for his meals," the outlet stated. And though a spokesman insisted that Adams pays his bills monthly, none of Adams’ people ever provided receipts or proof they’ve paid, according to the Times.
A New York Times report detailed New York City Mayor Eric Adams' frequent evenings at high-end night-life spots in his city. (NYC Mayor's Office)
As such, the Times wrote, "If the mayor has failed to pay for his meals, he could have violated the city’s ethics rules."
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Addressing the speculation, Adams stated, "I owe no one a receipt of a private dinner that I have with people in this city. I’m not going to start being treated differently. I won’t accept that. That was a silly story. You know it was a silly, silly story."
The Times also detailed the mayor’s trips to Zero Bond, where membership "requires a $5,000 initiation fee and a $4,000 annual payment; food and drink are purchased separately." It added, "Nonmembers must be accompanied by a member."
The paper made note of the fact that, though Adams’ spokesman claims the mayor "visits as a guest," he "did not respond to a question about who hosts Mr. Adams at the club." Of course, if Adams is not paying for entry or being hosted, he "risks violating ethics rules," as stated by former Conflicts of Interest Board chairman, Richard Briffault.
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The New York Times report on Adams's partying claimed that no one has been able to prove whether the mayor is paying for his meals, which may be an ethics concern. (REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton/File Photo)