Mayor Eric Adams told Bronx churchgoers on Sunday that he would not let the criminal indictment against him prevent him from continuing to serve the people of New York.
Speaking to members of the Emmanuel Presbyterian Reformed Church, who greeted him with warm applause during the congregation’s 25th -anniversary celebration, on Sept. 29, Hizzoner dispelled the calls for him to step down as mayor in the wake of the five-count indictment charging him with allegedly committing bribery, fraud and public corruption over a decade-long period.
Leaning in on his Christian faith, Mayor Adams told congregants he was turning on what he called his GPS — “my God positioning satellite” — to help him get through the worst political crisis of his life, just as he says he has done during other periods of personal trial. He does so, the mayor told the crowd, “with the energy of our lord and savior, Jesus Christ, and with the energy of our ancestors who have traveled great distances and know what hard times are.”
“God placed me in this moment and placed in my heart to continue to move this city forward,” Adams told the faithful. You hear the small number of loud people saying, ‘Well, he should step down.’ Well, no, I’m going to step up.”
The crowd applauded and cheered as Adams repeated that he was going to step up, then added, “I’m not going to resign, I’m going to reign.”
“I’m going to show those in this city that have had difficult times in their lives,” the mayor went on, “that during the most darkest (sic) moments, that is not a burial. It’s a planting. Let God do his work. I’m going to do my work. I’m going to lead this city in the direction that this city is supposed to go into.”
Adams also touted his record during his speech, including reducing gun violence, helping the city’s post-pandemic economic recovery, boosting tourism and helping some 217,000 migrants and asylum seekers find housing over the past several years.
The mayor appeared in Manhattan Criminal Court on Sept. 27 for arraignment on the indictment; he is due to return to court on Oct. 2 for a conference. Since news of the indictment broke, Adams has dismissed it as built on lies and political retribution; he rebuffed dozens of calls for his resignation, and vowed to carry on as the city’s chief executive while fighting to clear his name.
