Mayor Adams’ crony approves lucrative NYC real-estate leases that reek of ‘corruption,’ rages councilman

Lucrative leases OK’d by nan city’s apical existent property charismatic reek of “corruption,” raged a apical City Council lawmaker Tuesday – arsenic Mayor Eric Adams said nan deals successful mobility will beryllium reviewed.

Jesse Hamilton — a erstwhile authorities legislator and longtime friend of Adams — was a no-show astatine a proceeding called by Councilman Lincoln Restler complete his guidance of nan city’s $1.5 cardinal leasing portfolio, which is besides under scrutiny by nan Manhattan District Attorney’s office.

Instead, freshly-minted Department of Citywide Administrative Services Commissioner Louis Molina faced an aggravated grilling by Restler, who questioned why Hamilton yanked a lease for nan city’s Department of Aging and alternatively handed it to different building astatine 14 Wall St., which is owned by a billionaire philanthropist to nan mayor.

“Sadly, it appears arsenic though DCAS is erstwhile again facing a important corruption scandal,” Restler charged.

Jesse Hamilton is nether scrutiny from nan Manhattan District Attorney’s office. AP

Molina told Restler that location were nary plans to reappraisal nan woody – an assertion quickly undercut by Adams, who said during a near-simultaneous news convention astatine City Hall that Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer will look into nan deals.

“She’s going to do an wide reappraisal and travel retired pinch immoderate of those changes that we request to do,” nan politician said.

The contentious Council proceeding followed a report by Politico past week that Hamilton, nan DCAS’ lawman commissioner for existent estate, overruled a general bidding process that had awarded a statement for relocating nan Department of Aging to 250 Broadway, crossed from City Hall.

Hamilton alternatively directed nan statement to 14 Wall St., a building owned by existent property investor and Adams philanthropist Alexander Rovt, according to nan report.

The lease switcheroo disclosure added to questions swirling astir Hamilton, who precocious had his telephone seized by agents for nan Manhattan DA aft returning from a travel to Japan pinch nan mayor’s advisor, Ingrid Lewis-Martin.

Hamilton and Lewis-Martin were joined connected nan travel by a agent for existent property patient Cushman & Wakefield who handles its dealings pinch DCAS.

Mayor Eric Adams, a longtime friend of Hamilton, said City Hall will reappraisal leasing deals. Andrew Schwartz / SplashNews.com

Restler, arsenic he opened nan hearing, raised a litany of questions astir Hamilton’s domiciled and actions

“Why did nan politician put a wholly unqualified governmental state successful nan occupation pinch nan powerfulness to nonstop nan city’s $1.5 cardinal leasing portfolio?” he said. “Why did Mr. Hamilton undermine nan contracting process appearing to punish a qualified bidder and reward a mayoral run donor? And why did Mr. Hamilton spell connected picnic to Japan pinch Ingrid Lewis-Martin and a existent property executive who benefits from DCAS existent property deals?”

Molina, erstwhile asked why Hamilton didn’t be nan hearing, said nan work for nan agency fell to him. He has been connected nan occupation for astir 90 days, antecedently serving arsenic Department of Correction commissioner.

He insisted Hamilton sewage a amended woody for taxpayers connected nan Department of Aging deal.

“At nan extremity of nan day, 14 Wall St. was complete $31 cardinal dollars cheaper,” Molina testified.

Restler called for a reappraisal of Hamilton’s dealings.

“The truth that we person nary broad reappraisal of Deputy Commissioner Hamilton’s decisions, nary guardrails imposed, nary modified work is concerning,” he said.