Adams’ fundraising for his defense trust slows when he needs it most

NEW YORK — Mayor Eric Adams raised just $92,500 for his legal defense trust over the third quarter of the year — a slowdown that comes just as the stakes for him and his private attorneys have risen to precipitous heights.

Federal prosecutors in Manhattan indicted Adams on Sept. 26 over an alleged bribery scheme. The mayor has denied the charges, but disclosures made public Tuesday by the city’s Conflicts of Interest Board show there has been no rush to support him in his defense.

Only one contribution of $1,000 rolled in during the four days between the unsealing of the charges and the board’s filing deadline.

Overall, Adams’ fund spent more than it brought in since July. Out of $496,837 in recorded expenditures, 86 percent went to WilmerHale, one of the law firms that has been representing Adams in the federal probe. Other payments were made to firms vetting donors, to the Bedford Grove fundraising firm and to compliance attorney Vito Pitta.

The fund did not report any payments to Alex Spiro, the celebrity defense lawyer with Quinn Emanuel who has taken the lead on Adams’ case following the indictment.

Adams’ defense trust also appears to have spent more than it raised. Since Adams formed the fund last year , it has reported spending about $1.7 million. Just over $1.8 million has flowed into the trust, but it has already reported refunding $138,000 in contributions and will give back more — leaving it at least $43,000 in the red.

Pitta declined to comment but confirmed the fund’s financial situation, noting that not all invoices have been paid out yet. Another person familiar with Adams’ operation said the mayor planned to resume raising funds for the trust.

Adams took in $375,000 in the previous quarter , but fundraising slowed significantly during the most recent filing period, with not a single contribution between Aug. 5 and Sept. 26, according to the latest disclosure. Adams’ reelection campaign has also lagged in fundraising recently, POLITICO reported , as it neared the primary spending cap once public matching funds are factored in.

The solitary donation to Adams' defense fund after his indictment came from Deborah Robins of Miami Beach, Florida.

Other donors to Adams this quarter included Madison Square Garden CEO James Dolan and three other family members, who gave a total of $20,000. In addition, Dolan business partner Irving Azoff, the former Ticketmaster CEO, gave $5,000, the maximum allowed. Dolan family members and Azoff gave to Adams’ campaign in July as well.

Hedge fund founder and charter school advocate Daniel Loeb and his wife, Margaret, also opened up their wallets, donating $5,000 each to Adams’ defense trust in August.