WASHINGTON, D.C. — Democracy Defenders Fund (DDF) today submitted a formal request to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) calling for an investigation into whether Assistant to the President Steven Witkoff violated federal law when he and other members of the Trump administration reportedly offered Mayor Eric Adams positions within the Administration, including a potential ambassadorship, as an inducement to abandon his reelection campaign.

According to multiple reports, Witkoff allegedly met with Adams in Florida and discussed a potential appointment as U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, among other roles. If accurate, these allegations point to an extraordinary abuse of federal authority: a senior White House advisor promising a powerful and prestigious diplomatic post to influence the outcome of a partisan local election.

The complaint, addressed to embattled FBI chief Kash Patel and other agency leadership,  explains that the White House advisor’s offer may constitute an illegal attempt to interfere in a democratic election through the abuse of federal appointments. It outlines potential violations of the Hatch Act and a federal criminal statute prohibiting the offer of employment or other benefits in exchange for political activity.

“It’s a federal offense to dangle government appointments in an effort to influence elections," said Virginia Canter, chief counsel and director of ethics and anti-corruption at Democracy Defenders Fund. "The FBI and Special Counsel have a duty to investigate whether the President’s aides tried to rig the outcome of the mayoral race in our nation’s largest city.”

DDF urges the FBI and the Office of Special Counsel to investigate potential violations of the Hatch Act and other criminal prohibitions on election interference. 

The complaint can be found HERE

###

Democracy Defenders Fund brings together a nonpartisan team to work with national, state, and local allies across the country to defend in real-time the foundations of our democracy.