Ingrid Lewis-Martin, the mayor’s chief adviser and longtime confidant, told about live radio how she, just after a flight from Japan, was intercepted by both state and federal investigators at JFK Airport, claiming she — or Mayor Adams — did something wrong.
“We’re not thieves,” Lewis-Martin said during an appearance on a radio show she hosted lawyer Arthur Aidala. “And I think that ultimately the New York public will see that we have not done anything illegal to the extent or scale that requires the federal government and the DA’s office to investigate us.”
The federal raid on Lewis-Martin was connected Manhattan US Attorney investigation into Adams’ ties to Turkey, sources told the Daily News — the gist of the charges Adams was arraigned on Friday.
The investigation began last year when the FBI raided the Crown Heights home of Suggs, Adams’ top fundraiser for his 2021 campaign. The raid was part of a federal corruption investigation investigate whether the campaign conspired with the Turkish government to funnel foreign cash to campaign with straw donorsaccording to a search warrant reported by the New York Times.
Lewis-Martin said she knows “nothing” and has done “nothing,” adding that she considers Suggs a goddaughter.
Lewis-Martin said on air that doing his job during the difficult times has not been easy.
“We try hard to live up to that,” Lewis-Martin said, directly contradicting Adams’ “stay focused and grind” motto. “But it’s hard. You know, we get distracted. It’s hard sometimes to focus, but one thing we always do and will continue to do is grind, because we’re dedicated officials, and we’re going to get the job done. “
She described how “very polite” agents approached her at the airport after she landed and admitted she was not really friendly with them.
“I got a little loud,” Lewis-Martin admitted, adding that they then told her she would be arrested if she continued. After that she said she apologized.