A recent report from the Wall Street Journal reveals that City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams has accepted political donations from businessmen connected to the Adams bribery case. Many progressive Democrats view Williams as a potential candidate for acting mayor. In light of these allegations, a spokesperson for Williams characterized the donations as “routine interactions” with the community.
City election finance records show that earlier this year, Williams’s re-election campaign received a $5,000 contribution from Tolib Mansurov, a contractor based in Brooklyn, along with his employees. This isn’t the first time Mansurov has backed Williams; two years ago, he donated $10,000 during Williams’s unsuccessful primary bid for governor against Governor Kathy Hochul in June 2022.
Mansurov has been identified as “Businessman 4” in the recent federal indictment related to the Adams bribery case, although he has yet to face any criminal charges. The indictment alleges that Mansurov provided illegal compensation to four employees, guiding each to contribute $2,000 to Adams’s mayoral campaign. Notably, Mansurov himself made a $2,000 donation as well.
As an Uzbek-American, Mansurov has successfully organized events that celebrate his ethnic community’s cultural heritage, receiving support from Adams and his aides. The indictment also alleges that Adams intervened to lift a stop-work order on one of Mansurov’s construction projects, issued by the city’s Department of Buildings.
Williams’s spokesperson emphasized that his interactions with Mansurov are typical within the Uzbek community and stated, “We are unaware of any impropriety in his contributions to the mayor and have no reason to suspect any wrongdoing regarding the public advocate’s donations.”
In March, Williams partnered with Mansurov’s nonprofit organization, the Silk Road Foundation, to co-host a Ramadan breaking fast dinner, where Williams expressed his gratitude for Mansurov’s support during his speech.
Last week, Adams was charged with bribery and election fraud but has maintained his innocence. While some Democrats and political opponents are urging him to resign, Adams insists he will remain in office. As the public advocate since 2019, Williams holds a limited but significant role in overseeing city governance. According to the city charter, if the mayor were to resign or be removed from office, Williams would temporarily assume the mayoralty until a new election occurs.
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