Mayor Eric Adams‘ criminal defense attorney Alex Spiro on Wednesday vehemently denied an online rumor from a former city lawmaker that Hizzoner would imminently resign and accept a plea deal in his federal corruption case.
“He’s not resigning,” Spiro told reporters on Jan. 29 as he came out of a closed-door court conference connected to Adams’ case. In a separate post, a reporter with the AP quoted Spiro as saying the rumor is “completely false.”
When amNewYork Metro asked for comment on the rumors Wednesday, mayoral spokesperson Kayla Mamelak Altus instead referred a reporter to Spiro’s remarks, saying, “I think that’s as straightforward as it could be.”
Spiro had responded Wednesday to a rumor that surfaced Tuesday night from Sal Albanese, a former City Council member and 2017 mayoral candidate.
“A usually good source tells me @NYCMayor is cutting a deal with Feds & resigning in 72 hours,” Albanese wrote. “This guy has been reliable in past, but who knows.”
On Wednesday afternoon, the New York Times reported that President Donald Trump’s Justice Department has been in discussions with Manhattan federal prosecutors and Adams’ defense team about dropping the criminal charges against him.
The rumor circulated amid a week in which Adams has not yet made any public appearances due to an unspecified illness.
The mayor’s top spokesperson, Deputy Mayor of Communications Fabien Levy, announced on Sunday night that he “hasn’t been feeling his best” and would have a “limited” public schedule this week as he attends doctor’s appointments and undergoes “routine” medical tests. He said Adams would stay in constant communication with staff and that city government would continue to function as normal.
Levy declined to detail what exactly is ailing Adams, simply citing the mayor’s “right to privacy.”
Adams has only had one public event on his schedule each day of this week: an 8 a.m. meeting with senior officials in his administration. His office has made official announcements that include quotes from the mayor about specific topics mentioned in the releases.
However, while not making public appearances, Adams did reportedly make time for meeting with two powerful union leaders at Gracie Mansion on Monday night. According to a report by Politico, Adams met with Rich Maroko of the Hotel and Gaming Trades Counsel and Manny Pastreich of 32BJ SEIU to shore up their support as he seeks reelection.
The New York Post reported Wednesday afternoon that Adams will return to attending public events on Thursday.
Adams is set to stand trial in his federal corruption case on April 21. The embattled mayor has pleaded not guilty to the charges and argues, without evidence, that they are retribution from former President Biden’s administration for his criticisms of its immigration policies.
The mayor faces five criminal charges, including bribery, soliciting illegal foreign campaign donations, and wire fraud. The feds have accused him of accepting lavish travel benefits for free or at a discount and foreign campaign contributions from Turkish nationals in exchange for favors.
Since his indictment, Adams has noticeably refused to criticize Trump. His behavior toward the Republican lightning rod has fueled speculation that he is seeking help with his legal troubles from the recently sworn-in commander-in-chief.
Over the past two weeks, Adams met privately with Trump at his Palm Beach golf course, attended his inauguration, and gave a sit-down interview with far-right commentator Tucker Carlson.
If the mayor resigns, the duties of the mayor would fall to the public advocate, who would serve as acting mayor until the voters choose a permanent one within 80 days.
