Earlier today, New York City Mayor Eric Adams delivered an address from City Hall after federal authorities announced yesterday evening that they were dropping bribery and corruption charges filed against him last September. Speaking through a live broadcast with no reporters present, the mayor professed his innocence and pointed to high points of his first term in his bid to win over New Yorkers who “still question [his] character.”
Adams’ speech appears to have taken the place of his weekly “off-topic” briefing where journalists can ask him any question freely. It should be noted that Adams only takes questions outside of these briefings that are “on-topic” to an event; for example, a question about crime when he’s announcing a new police initiative. On the other hand, standard practice is for politicians to be open to any question in any context.
Today’s event could mark the second time in two weeks that Adams cancels the off-topic, as he claimed to be ill on the week of January 27th. Adams’ press secretary would not confirm if another day this week will be used for the briefing. While reporters were not able to challenge the mayor on his statements today, reactions have not been lacking across New York’s political scene.
“The mayor is simply lying to New Yorkers,” said New York Public Advocate Jumaane Williams in a scathing statement. “The good news is, he’s never given them a reason to believe him before, so I hope they don’t start now.” Adams was the subject of criticism from Williams just last week when he claimed to have been under anesthesia while he was ill the week before, which according to the New York City Charter, should have made Williams the acting mayor while he was incapacitated. Williams said at the time that it amounted to a “violation of the Charter.” Regarding the dropped cases against Adams announced yesterday, Williams said “this is not in fact over, it’s just being held over his head,” as the letter from Trump’s DOJ indicated that they would be dropped without prejudice, meaning they could be brought up again at a later date. New York’s public advocate doubted that Adams could be effective as mayor “while under Donald Trump’s thumb.”
Brooklyn State Senator and mayoral candidate Zellnor Myrie went a different route, seeking a way to keep the case alive against the mayor. In a post on X, Myrie published a letter sent to the Southern District’s federal judge Dale Ho, asking him to “reject this dismissal and appoint a special prosecutor” in Adams’ case, evoking Williams’ sentiment that the dropped charges without prejudice represent “a clear effort to control the Mayor.” Queens Democratic State Senator Jessica Ramos also called for action from officials to push back against the DOJ, asking New York Attorney General Letitia James in a post on X to “investigate any potential quid pro quo deal between Eric Adams and Donald Trump.”
For all of the heat Adams has gotten from members of his party, Governor Kathy Hochul kept her powder dry, telling reporters this morning that she’ll continue to “establish a relationship of working together” with the mayor. Under the rules of the New York City Charter, the governor can actually remove the mayor from office, a power that Hochul had not ruled out last September when Adams was indicted. An even more unlikely ally that has emerged is Adams’ predecessor, Bill de Blasio, whose administration has been blamed by Adams for numerous policies he inherited, from bail reform to sanctuary city laws. “I actually think the charges were not strong enough,” he said on MSNBC this morning. “They were affecting the democratic process in New York City.”
