New legal allegations have surfaced against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, accusing him of sexual assault that allegedly occurred 30 years ago.
The claim has been filed under the Adult Survivors Act, a landmark legislative move that lifts the statute of limitations on such cases.
Governor Kathy Hochul signed the Act into law in May of last year, effectively lifting the usual statute of limitations for filing lawsuits over alleged sexual assaults for one year.
The plaintiff, whose identity remains undisclosed, asserts that Adams, then an NYPD officer, sexually assaulted her in 1993 while both were city employees.
Mayor Adams, via a spokesperson, refuted any knowledge of the plaintiff.
In a statement, a City Hall spokesperson stated, “If they ever met, he doesn’t recall it. But he would never do anything to physically harm another person and vigorously denies any such claim.”
Adams also “vigorously” denied any misconduct, asserting, “It absolutely did not happen. I don’t recall ever meeting this person. And I would never harm anyone in that magnitude. It did not happen…And that is not who I am, and that’s who I have never been in my professional life.”
The legal summons, filed in the New York State Supreme Court in Manhattan, not only targets Adams but also names New York City, the NYPD’s transit bureau, and the Guardian Association of the NYPD as defendants.
The filing claims “sexual assault, battery, and employment discrimination on the basis of the Plaintiff’s gender and sex, retaliation, hostile work environment and intentional infliction of emotional distress.”
The plaintiff is seeking damages of at least $5 million.
According to court documents, the plaintiff accusing Adams has a history of legal action, including a lawsuit filed against the Miami School Board in 2010, which was ultimately dismissed, and a separate case against American Airlines in the same year that resulted in a loss.
The lawsuit is the latest in a series of legal challenges for Mayor Adams. His 2021 campaign is under federal investigation for alleged collusion with the Turkish government, leading to FBI involvement and raids on his aides. However, representatives for Adams and his campaign have emphasized his cooperation with the investigation and noted that he has not been formally charged.
The complaint against Mayor Adams was filed just before the closing of the one-year window set by the Adult Survivors Act, which was due to expire on Friday.
The legislation has led to a surge in civil lawsuits, including cases against former President Donald Trump, Bill Cosby, and Harvey Weinstein.
Under the Adult Survivors Act provisions, state courts have seen the filing of at least 2,600 claims.
This flurry of legal activity includes several lawsuits lodged just this week against prominent figures such as Axl Rose, the lead singer of Guns N’ Roses, Oscar winner Cuba Gooding Jr., and renowned celebrity photographer Terry Richardson.
