Bill Maher suggests Eric Adams is being treated roughly: ‘They’re coming down on him a little hard’

“Real Time” host Bill Maher suggested the federal indictment against New York City Mayor Eric Adams is “a little harsh” based on the alleged crimes.

“I am so surprised – not that politicians can be bribed, but that they can be bribed so cheaply,” Maher responded on Friday evening.

The Democratic mayor is accused of it soliciting illegal campaign donations from foreign entities and falsifying paper trails to cover it up, according to a 57-page indictment unsealed Thursday. As part of the plot, he allegedly defrauded taxpayers of $10 million over the past decade and regularly took free or heavily discounted vacations funded by his foreign benefactors.

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New York City Mayor Eric Adams speaks during a press conference outside Gracie Mansion, Thursday, September 26, 2024, in New York. The mayor has been indicted following an investigation into campaign corruption. (Rashid Umar Abbasi for Fox News Digital)

His guest, author and commentator Fran Lebowitz, mocked Adams’s alleged request for business class airline tickets.

‘Eric, you’re stealing! First class! Why business class?’ Lebowitz joked.

“But considering the smallness of the crime, don’t you think they’re going a little hard on him?” Maher asked.

“No, he’s the mayor of New York. No,” Lebowitz replied.

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‘Yes, I know. I don’t excuse it,” Maher said. “I’ve seen politicians do slightly worse things. Like try to overthrow the United States government.”

“I don’t know if it rises to this level of offense among everyone who is so ‘shocked and horrified and this is the worst thing that has ever happened.’ It’s a bit of an exaggeration,” Maher added.

“Real Time” host Bill Maher suggested the DOJ is going “a little hard” on New York Mayor Eric Adams. (Screenshot/HBO)

Adams released a video statement saying any charges against him would be “completely false, based on lies,” and insinuating that his criticism of the Biden administration’s disastrous border policies made him a target for retaliation.

“The federal government did nothing because its broken immigration policies overloaded our shelter system without any relief,” he said in a video statement. “I put the people of New York above party and politics.”

Investigators denied claims during a news briefing Thursday that the case involved political retaliation.

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New York Mayor Eric Adams and attorney Alex Spiro leave federal court following Adams’ arraignment in Lower Manhattan on Friday, September 27, 2024. Adams faces five federal charges, including alleged conspiracy, wire fraud and two counts of soliciting a contribution by a foreigners and bribery. (Umar Abbasi for Fox News Digital)

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The mayor is charged with one count of conspiring to receive campaign contributions from foreigners and committing wire fraud and bribery, one count of wire fraud, two counts of soliciting campaign contributions from foreigners and one count of soliciting and accepting bribes.

If convicted on all charges, he could face up to 45 years in prison.

Michael Ruiz and Maria Paronich of Fox News contributed to this report.