New York mayor denies sex assault claim amid flurry of last-minute suits
NEW YORK – New York City mayor Eric Adams has been accused of sexually assaulting a female co-worker 30 years ago, US media reported on Nov 23, as the northern state sees a flurry of such suits filed ahead of a statute of limitations deadline.
The Democratic mayor “vigorously” denies the claim, his office said, arguing that he does not know the plaintiff and would never cause anyone physical harm.
The civil suit, first reported by The Messenger news site, alleges that the plaintiff “was sexually assaulted by defendant Eric Adams in New York, New York, in 1993 while they both worked for the City of New York”.
In the filing, the woman, whose name has not been revealed, is seeking a trial and at least US$5 million (S$6.7 million) in relief, according to The Messenger.
“The mayor does not know who this person is. If they ever met, he doesn’t recall it,” a city hall spokesperson said in a statement.
“But he would never do anything to physically harm another person and vigorously denies any such claim.”
The suit was submitted under the New York Adult Survivors Act, a law passed in 2022 that opened a one-year window for sexual assault claims to be filed that otherwise happened too far in the past to litigate. That window expires on Nov 23.
Sexual assault lawsuits were also filed on Nov 22 against US actor Jamie Foxx and Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose.
Nov 22’s suits follow a rape complaint against rapper Sean Combs, filed the previous week by R&B singer Cassie, whose real name is Casandra Ventura.
A day after that filing, the parties said they had agreed to resolve the case, but did not disclose the settlement terms.
Former US president Donald Trump was also sued under the law by former magazine columnist E. Jean Carroll, whom a jury awarded US$2 million in May 2023.
Mr Adams, a former police officer who took office in January 2022 as New York’s second black mayor in history, also faces a corruption investigation into campaign financing.
Federal investigators are probing whether Mr Adams’ 2021 campaign conspired with Turkey’s government and other actors. - AFP
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