Adams hires his former City Hall chief counsel to rep him in federal probe

Mayor Adams’ former chief counsel, Brendan McGuire, confirmed to the Daily News on Thursday that both he and fellow WilmerHale attorney Boyd Johnson are representing Adams’ 2021 campaign and the mayor in his personal capacity in response to a federal inquiry of the campaign.

McGuire told The News that he and Johnson are also representing Adams’ top campaign fundraiser Brianna Suggs, whose Brooklyn home was raided last week as part of an FBI probe into whether the campaign reportedly conspired with the Turkish government and a New York-based construction firm to funnel illegal foreign donations to Adams’ mayoral run.

McGuire, whose role in the matter was first mentioned by an NBC reporter, said he and Johnson are not representing Suggs in a personal capacity and that he “doesn’t believe anyone is representing her” in that capacity currently. A source close to Suggs confirmed that she has not retained any other counsel for her personal capacity in the matter.

“There are three capacities here: the campaign, the personal and the mayor’s office,” he said, referring to Adams’ different roles. “We’ve got the personal and campaign.”

Former City Hall Chief Counsel Brendan McGuire (right) with Mayor Eric Adams at City Hall on Wednesday, July 26, 2023. (Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office)

For legal issues that tie into the mayor’s office, Adams’ current chief counsel in City Hall, Lisa Zornberg, will be the go-to attorney.

Adams told reporters Wednesday that he’d hired WilmerHale. A 2021 campaign spokesman confirmed that Johnson would play a role in the mayor’s representation.

Zornberg, McGuire and Johnson all previously worked as lawyers for the U.S. attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York, which is conducting the current investigation along with the FBI.

FBI agents leave the Brooklyn home of Mayor Adams’ campaign consultant, Brianna Suggs, last week. (Obtained by Daily News)

Suggs, who is 25 years old, has claimed credit for raising more than $19 million for Adams’ political efforts over the years. She has not been charged with a crime or accused of any wrongdoing as part of the federal probe, and neither has Adams.

The contours of the investigation are still not entirely clear, but The New York Times reported last week that a search warrant indicated a broad probe into whether Adams’ 2021 campaign conspired with the Turkish government to receive illegal foreign donations.

Federal agents raided the home of Brianna Suggs, a top fundraiser and longtime confidante to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023, in Brooklyn. (Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/AP)

Adams said Wednesday at a press briefing that he’d be “shocked” if anyone from his campaign is hit with criminal charges.

“I cannot tell you how much I start the day with telling my team we’ve got to follow the law,” he added. “Got to follow the law — almost to the point that I’m annoying. I just strongly believe you have to follow the law.”

With Chris Sommerfeldt