Almost a year ago, on October 31st, 2023, Sabrina Carpenter released a controversial music video for her song “Feather,” filmed at the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a Catholic church in Brooklyn, New York. Carpenter’s provocative dance moves quickly sparked outrage from Catholics, who viewed the video as disrespectful to their faith. The Diocese of Brooklyn issued a statement saying they were “appalled” and had to restore the church’s “sanctity” with a Mass. Ironically, this incident has nothing to do with choreography, and this very church is now connected to a corruption scandal involving New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
Adams, the former New York Police Department (NYPD) captain turned mayor, is the first sitting mayor to be indicted for a federal crime. In a 57-page indictment, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) alleges that Adams accepted illegal campaign donations from foreign nationals linked to Turkey, who exchanged these donations for political favors. Some of these donations are believed to have passed through the very church Carpenter used in her music video. Father Jamie J. Gigantiello, the priest at the Blessed Virgin Mary, allegedly facilitated this flow of foreign contributions to the Adams campaign, violating many ethical codes much more severe than provocative dancing. Furthermore, Pastor Gigantiello, the official who had approved the music video, was stripped of his administrative duties at the church within the week.
Perhaps due to this controversy, the pastor was investigated by the FBI due to his connections with Mayor Adams, who was already under investigation. They allegedly uncovered that Gigantiello was, in fact, involved in this elaborate corruption scheme. Carpenter, known for playing Maya on Disney Channel’s Girl Meets World, spoke out about this political connection at her recent NYC concert. In a now-viral video, she laughed and said, “Should we talk about how I got the mayor indicted?” Concertgoers and TikTok commenters have rallied behind her, appreciating her transparency and humor on the matter. It should be noted that Sabrina Carpenter herself is not directly involved in this investigation, though perhaps the pastor’s inattention to detail that allowed the pop star to film the salacious music video in the church against the Diocese’s rules was the same mistake that got him caught up in this major scandal.
According to NBC New York, the indictment alleges that Adams accepted over $123,000 in luxury travel benefits from 2016 to 2021 without reporting a penny. By 2018, he not only accepted but actively sought illegal campaign contributions for his 2021 mayoral run. The investigation also alleges that Adams received gifts, such as luxury flights and hotel stays, from Turkish businesspeople looking to buy influence in New York’s cutthroat real estate market. In exchange, Adams reportedly rushed a controversial development deal despite safety concerns. This situation raises questions about whether Adams truly serves the best interests of everyday New Yorkers. His entire political identity, built on being a tough-on-crime mayor who promised to restore law and order to New York City, is now crumbling under the weight of these corruption charges.
While Sabrina Carpenter is currently on her “Short n’ Sweet Tour” (coming to Raleigh on October 19), Eric Adams is scrambling to minimize this scandal. He insists on his innocence, though the evidence continues to mount against him. In a September 26th video statement released by Adams’s office, the mayor asserted that any accusations against him are “completely false and based on lies.”
Adams’s mayoral campaign promised widespread reforms, yet his track record has been far from progressive. He pivoted hard to a pro-police stance early in his term, advocating for a return to “broken windows” policing—an aggressive strategy that targets minor crimes in the hopes of preventing more serious offenses. However, studies by the Prison Policy Initiative and ACLU show this approach disproportionately impacts marginalized communities and does little to address systemic issues in policing. Furthermore, consistent police corruption under the Adams administration has raised alarms, as he maintains deep ties to the NYPD and prioritizes law enforcement protections over criminal justice reform.
Adams’s administration is also facing scrutiny for the horrific conditions at Rikers Island, the infamous New York City jail. The Vera Institute of Justice reports that over 80% of Rikers inmates have “not been convicted of a crime” and are experiencing a human rights crisis while awaiting trial. They report inhumane treatment and rampant drug trafficking within the facility, further highlighting the failures of the mayor’s leadership. His indifference to the chaos at Rikers has exacerbated criticisms of his administration, casting doubt on his ability to take charge of America’s largest city.
With the federal investigation hanging over him, calls for Adams’s resignation are growing louder. Several high-ranking officials in the Adams administration have already announced their departures, including the police commissioner, chief legal officer, and school chancellor. In a city that’s no stranger to political corruption, Adams’s indictment feels like a bitter betrayal to some. After years of promises to clean up NYC, including improving early childhood education, creating affordable housing, and supporting New York’s status as a sanctuary city, Mayor Adams has become the very mess that he promised to dispose of.
In the larger context of U.S. politics, this scandal is yet another reminder of how deeply entrenched political corruption can be, even in leaders who claim to work for the people. Adams’s fall from grace is just the latest in a long line of political figures who have promised reform, only to find themselves entangled in the very systems they vowed to dismantle. With the 2024 election less than a month away, voters across the country are left wondering who they can trust to deliver on their promises.
Will the next mayor finally offer the reforms the city desperately needs? Or will they too fall victim to the intoxicating pull of power like so many before them? In conclusion, the real scandal was never Carpenter’s church choreography. Rather, it was the corruption practices that will continue to erode our democracy if we do not hold them accountable.
