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A probe into illegal donors for Mayor Adams touches a key member of his inner circle: the body person
By
Elizabeth Kim
Published Jul 26, 2023
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By
Elizabeth Kim
Published Jul 26, 2023
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In the world of politics, body people are the often unsung personal aides who keep candidates and elected officials on track of their schedules. They see to their every need while enjoying an unrivaled level of access and proximity to power.
There are two cardinal rules of the job: be discreet and protect the boss.
Whether and how that loyalty becomes tested is now among the questions in the wake of a disclosure from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office that a former body person for Eric Adams communicated with and coordinated a fundraiser for one of six people who allegedly funneled illegal donations to Adams.
Rachel Atcheson, who became Adams’ body person after serving as a campaign aide and policy strategist, was recently identified in a court filing as the “Campaign Representative-1” mentioned in a sprawling indictment that accuses the six donors of trying to buy political influence with concealed donations that tapped into the city’s generous matching funds program. The court filing was first reported by the Daily News.
“It’s unusual and almost unfettered access,” said Basil Smikle, a former Democratic strategist who managed rival mayoral candidate Ray McGuire’s campaign in 2021.“This is a person who would be privy to a lot of information.”
According to prosecutors, Atcheson helped Dwayne Montgomery, one of the defendants who served on the NYPD with Adams, organize a fundraiser in August 2020.
She also received an email from Montgomery that included a receipt for a donation from a so-called straw donor, a person who illegally tries to pass off another person’s contribution in their own name.
Montgomery asked that he and another individual “be credited for the contribution,” according to the indictment.
Neither Atcheson nor the mayor have been accused of wrongdoing.
Nonetheless, the revelation of Atcheson’s role marks how close the investigation has come to Adams’ inner circle.
“Based on the filings to date, it is possible that Rachel Atcheson is being investigated as a target. It is also possible that she could be called as a witness or not involved at all,” said Diana Florence, a former Manhattan prosecutor who has worked on campaign finance cases.
“Time will tell,” she added.
A spokesperson for the district attorney said the office cannot comment on the status of an investigation.
Reached for comment, Atcheson, who currently works at City Hall as a director of food policy, referred questions to the campaign.
“The campaign will continue to work with the District Attorney’s office, campaign finance board and any relevant authorities as the prosecution of these individuals proceeds,” said Evan Thies, the campaign spokesperson, in a statement.
The mayor has also affirmed his intent to cooperate with prosecutors. He has said he always instructed his campaign staff to follow the rules.
“I know that I am constantly under scrutiny,” Adams told reporters on Monday, but added: “I sleep well every night.”
This is not the first time a body person has been drawn into the spotlight or high-profile investigation.
Huma Abedin famously served as a body person for Hillary Clinton prior to becoming a top aide and adviser to the secretary of state and two-time presidential candidate — as well as before her doomed marriage to sexting Congressman Anthony Weiner.
More recently, Walt Nauta, a Navy veteran who worked for former president Donald Trump, became known as the prime example of a body person drawn into a potential crime in service of their boss.
Nauta, who has pleaded not guilty, is facing federal charges for hiding stolen classified documents as well as lying to authorities. Prosecutors say he carried out instructions from Trump to move boxes in and out of a storage room inside the latter’s Mar-a-Lago residence.
‘This wild existence’
On the surface, Atcheson seemed to be especially well-suited to being Adams’ body person.
She and Adams had a working relationship that stretched back several years. A self-professed vegan interested in food policy, she is also the daughter of a retired Washington, D.C. police captain. Adams, a former cop, has made healthy eating a signature issue.
Her rise to City Hall was relatively swift. Atcheson got her start working in city government in 2017 as a community affairs liaison under de Blasio.
Less than a year and half later, she moved to become a deputy strategist for Adams while he was Brooklyn borough president. According to her LinkedIn page, she worked to position Adams as “a leader and advocate for health and wellness in Brooklyn” with a focus on plant-based food policy issues.
Beginning in April 2021, she took a leave of absence to work on Adams’ mayoral campaign, earning $15,000 on top of her $70,000 annual salary, according to a story in The City.
On the campaign trail, she was one of several aides who often accompanied Adams at events. She wore multiple hats: planning press and campaign events, brainstorming policy ideas, as well as assisting with fundraising.
Once Adams entered office, Atcheson became a dedicated body person at a listed salary of $105,000 a year. A March 2022 Politico profile described her as a senior assistant who served as the mayor’s body person “every weekday from about 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.”
Photographs show her as a smiling fixture by the mayor’s side: she rode alongside him on the subway, joined him on a Citibike ride and attended scores of press conferences, sometimes juggling two phones.
This past January she was tasked to serve as special advisor to the mayor’s chief of staff, Camille Varlack. Six months later, she was appointed as a deputy director in the Mayor’s Office of Food Policy.
In many ways, her life has been an open book on social media. On Instagram, Atcheson shares personal and professional moments spanning nearly a decade, from her time as an animal rights activist to a political insider.
In nearly every post, the 30-year-old conveys a sense of awe at how far she has come.
“My life as ‘body’ in 10 photos,” she wrote last summer. “There are a few other things I work on, but these give a glimpse into this wild existence. Can’t believe it’s only been 6 months!”
The defendants in the case are due in court on October 10th. No trial date has yet been set.
Tagged
Politics
eric adams
Elizabeth Kim
Elizabeth Kim is a reporter on the People and Power desk who covers mayoral power. She previously covered the pandemic, housing, redevelopment and public spaces. A native of Queens, she speaks fluent Mandarin. Got a tip? Email [email protected]
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