The Evening: The charges against Eric Adams

Also, Hurricane Helene heads toward Florida.

View in browser|nytimes.com September 26, 2024 By Matthew Cullen Good evening. Here's the latest at the end of Thursday. An indictment of Eric Adams A hurricane headed for Florida Plus, Francis Ford Coppola's new film Mayor Adams, center, held a news conference outside Gracie Mansion this morning. Karsten Moran for The New York Times Eric Adams was charged with bribery and fraud The mayor of New York City, Eric Adams, was indicted on five federal charges of bribery, fraud and soliciting illegal foreign campaign donations that prosecutors said began at least a decade ago and continued after he became mayor. He's the first sitting mayor in the city's history to be criminally charged. Damian Williams, the U.S. attorney prosecuting the case, said that Adams — a retired police captain who was elected as a Democrat in 2021 on a pledge to reduce crime — was "showered" with over $100,000 in gifts that he knew were illegal. Those include free airline tickets, lavish overseas accommodations and campaign donations from Turkey. In return, Williams said, Adams used his influence as Brooklyn borough president, then later as mayor, to aide Turkish officials. Most notably, prosecutors argued, Adams pressured officials at the Fire Department to permit a new Turkish consulate building in Manhattan despite safety problems. In a news conference, Adams insisted that he was innocent and vowed to fight the charges. "I ask New Yorkers to wait to hear our defense," he said. Adams was ordered to be arraigned tomorrow, but he said he would not resign despite a cascade of elected officials calling on him to do so. For more: We explained all of the charges against Adams and the numerous investigations into people in the mayor's orbit. Adams promised to be a mayor like no other. He turned out to be right. Many New Yorkers are now wondering: What happens next? St. Petersburg, Fla., today. Nicole Craine for The New York Times Hurricane Helene's wide path could bring deadly floods Hurricane Helene, a Category 3 storm with 120-mile-per-hour winds, is heading toward the Big Bend coast of Florida, where it is expected to make landfall tonight. Officials urged local residents to evacuate before a rise in the water level, which they said could reach the height of a two-story building. We're tracking the storm live. Forecasters warned that Helene could intensify to a Category 4 hurricane before coming ashore south of Tallahassee, the state capital. Tallahassee has never before faced hurricane-force winds, and it's unclear if the state's emergency-operations center can withstand such a strong storm. In Georgia, farmers scrambled to salvage millions of dollars' worth of unharvested crops before winds and floods could destroy them. Destruction from an Israeli airstrike in Baalbek, Lebanon, yesterday. Diego Ibarra Sanchez for The New York Times Netanyahu said Israel would fight on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel today instructed his military to keep fighting "with full force" in Lebanon, even as the U.S. and several other countries pushed for a temporary cease-fire between Hezbollah and Israel. When Netanyahu arrived in New York to speak to the U.N. General Assembly, he gave no indication that he was inclined to accept a truce. Analysts said it would be hard for either side to accept the proposal because it falls short of their respective conditions for a truce. Freshly printed mail-in ballots drying in Phoenix in 2022. Rebecca Noble for The New York Times U.S. officials stepped up warnings of election interference As we near October, potentially the most perilous month for election mischief, American intelligence officials have begun offering lawmakers more frequent briefings on foreign interference. The warnings center on three main adversaries: Russia, which officials say is working to support Donald Trump; Iran, which desperately wants to avoid a Trump presidency; and China, which is focusing more on local races in operations that could undermine the democratic process. On the campaign trail The presidential election is 40 days away. Kamala Harris met with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine to discuss the war. A pro-Trump group plans to spend $70 million on advertising in the race's final weeks. A nonpartisan economic analysis warned that Trump's proposals would damage the U.S. economy. Do you have questions about the election? Send them to us, and we'll find the answers. More top news Economy: The U.S. economy emerged from the pandemic even more quickly than previously reported, according to revised government data. Sudan: The military launched a major operation in the capital, Khartoum, an official said, in an effort to regain territory it lost early in the civil war. Trump: In an odd legal twist in Trump's election case, previously undisclosed evidence the special council has gathered could be revealed in public court filings — maybe even before Election Day. Mental illness: Women are increasingly using guns for suicide in the U.S. Covid: Starting today, you can once again order free tests from the government. Media: CNN will begin experimenting in October with a paywall on its website. Television: Hoda Kotb, a host of NBC's "Today" show for 17 years, said that she would step down next year. TIME TO UNWIND Giancarlo Esposito in a scene from Francis Ford Coppola's "Megalopolis." Early reviews of the movie have been wildly divergent. Lionsgate Francis Ford Coppola's new film is expected to flop If there were a Hollywood version of Mount Rushmore, Francis Ford Coppola would be on it. But analysts are widely expecting his new movie, "Megalopolis," to struggle with ticket sales — in part because it's hard to explain or market. The film is an avant-garde, dystopian science-fiction fable that veers into mystery, romance and comedy. But that overflowing ambition is exactly why our chief film critic Manohla Dargis named it a Critic's Pick. "It's a little nuts, but our movies could use more craziness, more passion, feeling and nerve," she writes. Jim Wilson/The New York Times Oakland baseball fans are in mourning Sometime in the next hour or so, the final pitch by the Athletics is set to be thrown in the Oakland Coliseum, before the team eventually moves to Las Vegas. It is a sad moment for A's fans, who spent the past year working to keep the team in the Bay Area, where it has been for 57 years. My colleague Jack Nicas writes that the team's plans for its new home illustrates a peculiarity of American sports: A billionaire can take one of the most important cultural hubs of a community and just move it to another city, provided the money is right. "Freaks and Geeks" featured, clockwise from top left, Seth Rogen, Samm Levine, Jason Segel, Martin Starr, James Franco, Linda Cardellini, John Francis Daley and Busy Philipps. NBCU Photo Bank Dinner table topics "Freaks and Geeks": A quarter-century after this sitcom was quickly canceled, we looked back at its bumpy start and its long afterlife. Outliving our star: A new astronomical finding suggested that the sun might not actually destroy Earth one day. Confusing requests: Why does my phone keep asking me to check in with my ex? Kinetic art: Kara Walker's dystopian installation in San Francisco shows her evolution as a public artist. WHAT TO DO TONIGHT Michael Nagle for The New York Times Cook: Soft pretzels are best when they're made the old-fashioned way. Watch: "Sleep" is a taut thriller about nighttime issues. Listen: Check out Gabriela Ortiz's "Revolución Diamantina" and four other classical albums. Cycle: Here are five great bike rides for the fall. Relocate: You can get paid to move to West Virginia (and elsewhere). Observe: Memory loss isn't the only sign of dementia. Here's what to look for. Hunt: Which Minnesota home would you buy with a $180,000 budget? Play: Here are today's Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all of our games here. ONE LAST THING Graham Dickie/The New York Times Flashes of nostalgia on the Lower East Side On a recent Saturday afternoon, in front of a luggage store in Manhattan, a line of young people snaked down the block. But they weren't queuing for a new suitcase or duffel bag. They were there for an analog photo booth from the 1970s nestled within the shop. The apparatus, which offers a four-image strip for $8, is decades older than many of the patrons. Like vinyl albums and disposable cameras, photo booths have attracted interest from young people fascinated by an analog generation that they never experienced. Have a timeless evening. Thanks for reading. I'll be back tomorrow. — Matthew William Widmer was our photo editor today. We welcome your feedback. Write to us at evening@nytimes.com. Writer: Matthew Cullen Editorial Director: Adam Pasick Editors: Carole Landry, Whet Moser, Justin Porter, Jonathan Wolfe Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for The Evening from The New York Times. To stop receiving The Evening, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018