A recent report by POLITICO has unveiled that two New York City mayoral aides took a trip to Azerbaijan last year, funded by the Azerbaijani government. The revelation has raised eyebrows and ethical concerns about the influence of foreign governments on local officials.
According to public documents and information provided by City Hall, former New York City mayoral aide Edward Mermelstein and Rana Abbasova, then the director of protocol in the Mayor’s Office of International Affairs, visited Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku, from April 29 to May 2, 2023. Mermelstein, who was serving as the Mayor’s Office of International Affairs Commissioner at the time, and Abbasova were on a trip billed as an economic development mission, sponsored by the “State Committee on Work with Diaspora of the Republic of Azerbaijan,” which covered up to $5,000 in expenses.
The mandatory financial disclosure form, recently released by the city’s Conflicts of Interest Board, indicated that the Azerbaijani government paid for $1,650 in airfare for both officials, $40 a day for ground transportation, and $540 for Mermelstein’s hotel stay which was classified under “NYC related travel.” Abbasova, whose family is from Azerbaijan, stayed with relatives during the visit.
The trip has come under scrutiny as it was revealed just months before federal agents raided Abbasova’s home last November. The raid was part of a broader investigation into Turkish government connections to Mayor Eric Adams’ 2021 campaign. Abbasova, who previously served as a Turkish liaison to Adams during his tenure as Brooklyn borough president ” an unpaid role, is reportedly cooperating with federal investigators in the probe, for which Adams has denied any wrongdoing, as reported by The New York Times.
City Hall has stated that the “primary purpose of the visit was to foster economic development and share best practices between communities, and the commissioner took place in a series of meetings to achieve those goals.” However, the timing and funding of the trip have led to questions about potential conflicts of interest and the influence of foreign governments on New York City officials.
Mayor Adams has a history of engagement with Azerbaijan, having visited the country at least twice, in 2012 and 2016. The Azerbaijani cultural group Brooklyn Baku Friendship Association also hosted a fundraiser for his 2021 campaign, according to POLITICO.
Following their return from Azerbaijan, Mermelstein and Abbasova met with Azerbaijani government officials to discuss the possibility of restoring direct flights between New York and Azerbaijan. This meeting was part of a series of interactions that have further highlighted the close ties between the Adams administration and the Azerbaijani government, the Daily News reported. Additionally, the NY Daily News reported that Mayor Adams political adviser Frank Carone met with a top Azerbaijani government official in the country last September.
Abbasova, Mermelstein, and Carone all traveled to Turkey in October 2022 for a conference paid for by a Turkish real estate trade group, POLITICO and the Daily News reported. These trips have raised additional concerns about the extent of foreign influence on New York City officials.
The visit, which has not been previously reported, was included in Mermelstein’s 2023 disclosure form and was obtained Tuesday by a records request. The trip to Baku stood alone in Mermelstein’s disclosure as the only economic development visit in 2023 directly covered by a foreign government.
Mermelstein’s 2023 financial disclosure revealed several other funded trips, including visits to Dubai, Seoul, Mexico, and Colombia, sponsored by various organizations. These disclosures have prompted calls for greater transparency and scrutiny of trips funded by foreign entities.
Abbasova has been exempted from filing a financial disclosure this year while she is on leave, further complicating the transparency surrounding these trips, the Daily News reported in July.
As more details emerge, the implications of these trips and the potential influence of foreign governments on local officials continue to be a topic of significant concern. Zartonk Media will continue to monitor and report on developments in this ongoing story.
