By Gus Saltonstall
As news broke Wednesday night that Mayor Eric Adams has been indicted in a federal corruption investigation, a swarm of elected officials, including from the Upper West Side and Morningside Heights, joined the call for Adams to resign.
Adams has been charged with bribery, fraud, and soliciting illegal foreign campaign donations, according to the indictment that was unsealed around 11 a.m. on Thursday. The investigation specifically looks into whether the mayor conspired with the Turkish government to receive illegal contributions during his 2021 campaign.
You can check out the full indictment, and read the details for yourself — HERE.
In a press conference outside of Gracie Mansion on Thursday, Adams made it clear that he has no plans to resign.
“I always knew that if I stood my ground for New Yorkers that I would be a target – and a target I became,” he said in a video released on Wednesday night. “If I am charged, I am innocent, and I will fight this with every ounce of strength and spirit.”
The indictment of Adams on Wednesday came in the wake of many high-ranking members of his administration resigning or announcing their planned exits amid a “sprawling number of ongoing probes of the inner circle of City Hall,” THE CITY reported.
- Read More: Who has left the Adams Administration
Adams will be the first of New York City’s 110 mayors to be criminally charged while in office.
Sources told THE CITY that “Adams is being charged with acting as an unregistered foreign agent for taking actions in his official capacity after receiving donations from foreign sources.”
You can follow along with updates on the developing story surrounding the mayor — on the New York Time’s dedicated page — HERE.
Here’s how the Upper West Side elected officials are reacting to Adams’ indictment, including multiple local politicians calling for his resignation.
City Councilmember Gale Brewer
Brewer released a statement on social media about the difficulty of the situation, but did not go as far to call for Adams’ resignation.
“The indictment is hard on the Mayor and also hard on New York City. We need leadership on so many issues and it will be difficult to get answers on legislative proposals, policy ideas, and ongoing projects.
“With so many Commissioners and Mayoral officials resigning, it will not be business as usual. Decision making takes a back seat. However, the sanitation workers, police, firefighters, teachers, human service case workers and others will continue to do their jobs, and they deserve our full support.”
City Councilmember Shaun Abreu
Abreu shared his statement about the Adams’ indictment exclusively with West Side Rag, in which he did call for the mayor’s resignation.
“New Yorkers deserve to have full confidence in their elected officials and their capacity to serve. The investigations surrounding the Adams administration have become an untenable distraction over the past several months, and news of the Mayor’s indictment is the final blow to public trust.
“It is clear Mayor Adams has lost focus, created distractions, and stalled our city’s grind. For the good of this city, he should resign.”
State Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal
Rosenthal joined Abreu in the call for resignation.
“New Yorkers deserve a government that works – not a raft of resignations and indictments that now include the mayor. New Yorkers struggling to keep pace with rising rents, put food on the table and pay for medical care desperately need an administration that is laser focused on the issues instead of its mounting legal troubles.
“While everyone is entitled to their day in court, New York City’s challenges are too vast to fight with one hand behind your back. For the benefit of all New Yorkers and the future of our city, the Mayor must resign.”
State Assemblymember Daniel O’Donnell
O’Donnell also voiced support for the mayor’s resignation.
“Following the indictment of New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York State Assembly Member Daniel O’Donnell has called on Adams to resign,” his office posted on social media. “Assembly Member O’Donnell emphasized the importance of the presumption of innocence, but expressed great concern about Adams’ capacity to effectively serve New York City while facing this legal battle.”
State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal
Hoylman-Sigal kept his call for the mayor’s resignation brief.
“The people of NYC deserve a higher standard for their elected officials than ‘innocent until proven guilty,’” he wrote on social media. “Clean up City Hall. Resign now Mr. Mayor.”
State Assemblymember Democratic Nominee Micah Lasher
Lasher, who is currently in line to take over from O’Donnell in Assembly District 69, did not go as far as calling for Adams’ resignation.
“I have a quaint reluctance, in general, to call for resignations,” he wrote on social media. “I do think that there would be enormous and unlikely benefits to the civic health of the city if there were a way to have a special election for mayor to coincide with the upcoming presidential election on November 5.”
“This is a sad moment for New York, but I am confident that our city’s intrinsic strength and the resilience of New Yorkers will get us to the other side of it intact, as it always does.”
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Unfortunately, the candidates to replace him are terrible too!
https://www.city-journal.org/article/empty-and-unserious?utm_source=virtuous&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=cjdaily
And you’re citing the City Journal.
And you’re very observant!
If you’re going to take bribes don’t take them in the form of fancy vacations and campaign contributions. People notice the vacations and campaign contributions get audited. Much better to just take the gold bars secretly like Bob Menendez did.
Eric Adams was done in by Turkey. Bob Menendez was done in by Egypt. I see a pattern here!
Yes, thieves need to be more intelligent about their crimes. No one respects a stupid criminal.
Even better if the gold bars haven’t previously been reported to police as stolen.
We need a separation of the police and the state. Eric Adams represents a common demeaner amongst current and ex members of the NYPD. Whomever we elect for Mayor next, I hope they’re far enough removed from the police department that their sense of ethics remains in tact.
As an Armenian-American, I was horrified to learn only last year of the support Adams received from the Turkish government – a government that has never admitted to the horrific genocide it carried out against the Armenian people before and during WWI. I am thankful that I chose not to vote for him (nor did I vote for his opponent!).
What is going on with Armenia was and is much more complicated than the Holocaust. It is not a black or white situation. What is going on with Armenia is more akin to what happened to other ethnic groups around the same time which Turkey has made relative peace with.
Crazy that you paid armenian genocide deniers have made it to the west side rag.
It was a genocide. Even soldiers serving in the Ottoman military at the time wrote as much in their diaries.
For those who don’t know, btw, poster above is using the name of Turkey’s most prominent Fascist as their handle. Look up ‘MHP’ and ‘Grey Wolves’ to see who Turkes was
I doubt the Turkish government is paying people to comment on West Side Rag. No one denies that Armenian people have suffered. Other ethnic groups have suffered as well, but the amount of visceral hatred for Turkish people by Armenians is not something that Greeks, Arabs, Kurds or other ethnicities part of the Ottoman Empire have against Turkish people. The recognition that Armenian and Armenian diaspora are pushing for is much more than apologizing for wrongful conduct and Turkey respecting the rights of Armenian people, this is about the total annihilation of Turkey like what the European powers tried to do with the Treaty of Sevres and was annulled in 1923 due to the efforts of Ataturk. Not only the total annihilation of Turkey, but to ensure that Turkish people get discriminated against in the western world including right here on the UWS. If Turkey does what the Armenians and their diaspora want, it will not be the same outcome Germany had where now they are a prosperous nation and have good relations with Israel. They want Turkey to be a colonized people.
Very meek statement from Brewer that basically says nothing, I wonder why she is soft on our corrupt mayor.
You are surprised?
Gale Brewer likely gets along in private with Eric Adams. The five borough presidents even had their own group text chat.
Mayor Adams is corrupt. That’s not a surprise. He should face justice. But here comes the but … New York does not and cannot have his successor be a far left progressive. 90% of New Yorkers agree. I wish Hochul had the power to appoint Garcia. New York deserves better than Adams and better than the left wing politicians vying for the job.
I stay with Mayor Adams even though I’m not his biggest fan.
I find this prosecution unjust. He tried to manage migrant crisis but it didn’t sit well with current political atmosphere.
The ones calling for his resignation are out-of-touch progressives who will ruin our city.
Why are you OK with bribery and corruption? One of Adams’s first actions as mayor was giving his brother a six-figure job in his security detail. He has given his cronies millions. His tenure as mayor has been nothing but grift after grift.
How has he tried to manage the migrant crisis? He failed utterly at managing it and the situation were in is largely in part to his malfeasance.
Can you share what specifically is unjust about this prosecution?
A lot of alt-right weirdos on X/Twitter are pushing that idea to support their anti-DOJ narrative because the DOJ is prosecuting Trump and his January 6th rioters.
Adams talked crap about Biden, and they used information they already had to go after Adams for crimes he did but would have gone unchallenged if he did not go after Biden directly. The it was a message to Dems, Stay in line.
No — Adams was on the take for years but when he became Mayor he was put into a position where he could pay them back by overriding the FDNY concerns about the Turkish consulate. That created the give and take, the quid pro quo that is the essence of corruption.
Totally agree
What a shock, Brad Holyman piling on, which is the only thing he has done consistently since being elected. Hes a fraud
Is anyone surprised? This is the tip of the iceberg, Billions in hotel fees and nobody is getting kickbacks? Mayor Williams is going to be a special treat he seriously doesn’t like the NYPD.
Disappoointed to say the least. I voted for him. Sad that power corrupts a good majority of officials. Thankfully not all..
Too bad Brewer is dithering. And what about Hochul? She can replace him, but for whatever reason, she’s been his BFF.
Hochul won’t touch this.
That’s not how it works — Hochul cannot replace the mayor. She can remove him.
In accordance with the NYC Charter, if the mayor leaves office, the next in the line of succession is the public advocate and after that, it’s the comptroller.
If either the public advocate or comptroller became mayor under those circumstances, they would not have the power to appoint or remove other mayoral appointees from office. They also would not be able to sign, approve or veto any local law for nine days and must schedule a special election.
Coincidence that he is indicted after he spoke against the influx of migrants…I think not!
Poor Eric, what was he thinking imposing stay limitation on migrant shelters while there are NGOs signing migrants to vote?
https://x.com/howmanyare2many/status/1811091217578606626?s=48
An old-timey mayor in an old-time type pickle. Of course he should resign. The problem is how to construct a better, more honest, more effective administration that is also approximately as moderate as Adams purported to be. Let’s not let the left try to leverage this into undue power, via the interim mayor.
This is so incredibly sad. How is it that good people don’t go into politics (or at least don’t generally win)?
I agree with Ed H. The alternatives are too far to the left. Jumaane Williams is “the squad” left.
Can we please have some moderate people who are reasonably honorable?
Politicians today are losing the trust of their voters… BIG TIME‼️
He won’t voluntarily resign because he is corrupt to.the vore. The governor must remove him immediately.
I never really liked him at all and
I know I wouldn’t want his job…and I don’t like what’s out there either.
Not a happy camper.👎
innocent until proven guilty?
Absolutely. But he should be side-lined until his innocence is proven. He is a public servant, not the other way around.
Here’s the actual document: https://www.politico.com/f/?id=00000192-2ee4-df4e-a3be-aee7ca500000
Another unelected official for the Democrats: Jumaine Williams. Ugh. Vote Republican across the board in November, New Yorkers!
Bring back Bloomberg! Too rich to corrupt, and he’s a competent technocrat. Plus, he was pretty centrist. He p!ssed off the Left by supporting school choice & charters, and he p!ssed off the right by demanding strict gun control. If he ticks everyone off just enough, then he’s the right guy for the job.
I voted for Jumaine Williams, I don’t know about you, knowing full well that the Public Advocate steps in if the Mayor is removed or resigned.
Agreed…this is an opportunity to achieve radical change and jumpstart a new era in leadership. It should not be wasted on corrupt and ineffective candidates whose records indicate they are just empty suits and panderers.
It’s unfortunate that he has chosen to claim being a victim, playing the Race card and blaming the Biden administration, accusing them of coming after him for his blaming them for the migrant crisis. I had hoped he would be above this.
I am so tired of the politics of this town. I keep asking myself, “Why can’t we have nice things?” And then I think we all have the city we deserve. So, when are we going to decide we deserve a better city? We, the Upper West Siders, should run someone for mayor, someone who represents us and our values. After all, what’s good for the UWS is good for NYC. We need to articulate a platform. Here’s a stab:
1) Everybody Does Their Part
– No more freebies for the real estate industry and big corporations
– No more parking placards
– No more overtime and no-show scams on NYC’s dime
– No more endless construction projects that should take weeks or months
– No more cushy bureaucrat jobs
– etc
2) Justice for All
– Massive increase in NYC’s court capacity (eliminate the bail fight and Rikers fiasco by implementing the constitutional right to a SPEEDY public trial)
– Increase police force, but force police (and pressure prosecutors) to enforce the actual laws
– No living or drugging on the street or transit
– No littering, no spitting, no leaving dog poop
3) Transit Reform (caveat MTA is state-controlled)
– Clean the damn subway stations, make them all shine like Paris’s Metro. We certainly pay enough to clean it ten times. We need someone to insist on better.
– Massive traffic enforcement against blocking traffic, e-bikes misbehavior (go after the delivery apps), but also cars and trucks who break the law, injure kill pedestrians and cyclists.
– Pressure MTA to eliminate the bloat and corruption and use its massive budget to serve the citizens
– Massive driver education program
– No more endless scaffolding
So much more. I believe we need a mayor who really and truly gets these basic, obvious things done. This is probably an amazingly expensive agenda, but history shows that when we are determined to do something, we can always figure out how to afford it. I also believe that such a transformation will more than pay for itself.
Who’s with me?! 🙂
People need to realize that indictments are one-sided and prosecutors know how to use the facts to their advantage to get a grand jury to indict. The defense does not participate in grand jury proceedings so we have no idea whether or not the mayor has specific defenses to the crimes alleged.
I for one, will read the indictment and listen to what the mayor’s defenses are before jumping to any conclusions or calls to resign. More than likely, any trial on these issues will take place after the next election anyway.
I miss Jimmy Walker.
@Mark Moore and WSR
Mark Moore, did you just call me a right-wing weirdo?
WSR, you feel you can publish this if it comes from the left?
That’s what the problem is. Intolerance.
Btw, not a right-wing, not even close. But you will be pushing more and more people there with this hateful rhetoric and intolerance.
Why do all these felons and indicted people run for office?
He’s a crook‼️
One thing I have always liked about Eric Adams is he is well dressed; I especially admire his shoes, His shoes are impeccable, I really like his shoes, I envy his shoes. However much I admire, like and envy his shoes, I’m glad I’m not in his shoes.
What about the time police unconstitutionally stopped and frisked someone at the Macy’s Parade Balloon Inflation for taking a picture of the mayor’s press conference there and elected officials and community leaders did nothing to address what happened other than to refer the matter elsewhere?
We need to have an article about how there were unconstitutional stop and frisks of those with disabilities and those who are Muslim at last year’s balloon inflation on the UWS. Not only that, but the way Macy’s corporate board and its CEO treated a genuine fan of the parade who has been going there for many years who was stopped and frisked unconstitutionally last year was totally callous and disrespectful to anyone who is a fan of this parade. I do not care who does it, whether its West Side Rag or someone else, but there needs to be some coverage of this now that Eric Adams has been indicted and before the next parade happens on the UWS.
Soooo much better than Curtis Sliwa
Curtis is a creep too. We need new blood. Someone like Maya Wiley or Kathryn Garcia.
Nothing better than watching “know it all” NY’ers get precisely what they deserve. Can anyone remember the other people who ran for Mayor? Did our superficial media do a good job showing what Adams was? His lack of success? Is anything going to change?
Let’s hope the Adans investigation doesn’t stop with Turkey, but takes an even close look at all interactions here in NYC. – with other elected officials and industries.. Could not help but notice, Brewer is one of the only politicians who has not ask for Adams resignation. Now why is that….might there be something there?
The same reason why she will not accept licensing for e bikes.