It has come to light that a prominent political consultant had engaged in a meeting at City Hall with high-ranking officials from both the city administration of Mayor Adams and Azerbaijan, without proper federal disclosure. The consultant, identified as Ezra Friedlander, has been known to represent the interests of both Azerbaijan and Turkey.
Friedlander, who showcased the meeting through a video on social media, was seen accompanying Elnur Mammadov, Azerbaijan’s Deputy Foreign Minister, along with key figures from Mayor Adams’ team, including the Commissioner of International Affairs, Edward Mermelstein. The group’s City Hall rendezvous, aimed at discussing New York City’s potential collaboration with Azerbaijan, was not reported in federal filings as mandated by the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).
“I asked for a meeting to discuss how New York City could work with Azerbaijan, to help bring the two peoples together through economic activity and the restoration of direct flights from New York to Baku,” Friedlander explained. Despite his intentions, the omission of this meeting from FARA filings has raised eyebrows, especially given the substantial payments Friedlander’s consulting firm received from Azerbaijan and Turkey, totaling over a million dollars within a six-month period.
Legal experts touch on the critical nature of FARA disclosures in maintaining transparency in foreign engagements. Steve Roberts, an attorney with expertise in FARA regulations, commented, “Based on the available information, the City Hall meeting should have indeed been disclosed. The investigatory process by the Department of Justice would determine if this was a willful violation, which could lead to significant penalties.”
The Adams administration has come under scrutiny due to its connections with Turkey; the Mayor had signed a sister city agreement with a district in Istanbul and has been known for his travels to the region. The federal investigation into his mayoral campaign, which led to FBI raids, including one at the home of mayoral staffer Rana Abbasova, has only added to the cloud of suspicion.
