Mayor Eric Adams on Friday spotlighted what he considers his most significant achievements over the past year, following yet another week of political setbacks stemming from his legal troubles.
Hizzoner, facing what is expected to be a challenging re-election campaign, outlined a series of his purported successes during a Dec. 20 City Hall news conference, joined by several top deputies and commissioners.
The list of the mayor’ wins was displayed on a giant scroll that read “a safer, more affordable New York” — driving home the message that Adams likely wants voters to have in mind as he vies for a second term.
“In 2024 our administration continued to get stuff done for New Yorkers,” Adams said, repeating one of his signature catchphrases. “There are so many extraordinary accomplishments from the last year that we literally filled the rotunda with them.”
Adams highlighted a roughly 7% decrease in both homicides and shootings, the closure of over 1,300 illegal smoke shops, and the approval of his City of Yes for Housing Opportunity zoning overhaul as key achievements of his administration over the past year.
“When I think about 2024, the word that comes to mind is record,” Adams said. “We broke records for the most jobs in our city’s history, the most small businesses in our city’s history, the most new homes financed in city history, and so much more. These are landmark achievements.”
The victory lap comes as Adams is ramping up his re-election campaign with just over six months until the June Democratic mayoral primary, in which he is already facing nearly a dozen high-profile challengers.
However, Adams’ celebratory press conference comes on the heels of a week of unfavorable news for his mayoralty that could further hurt his chances of winning another four years in City Hall.
First, the mayor’s 2025 campaign’s request for over $4 million in public matching funds was denied by the city Campaign Finance Board (CFB) — dealing a blow to his re-election bid. The board said its decision was based on Adams’ federal indictment on charges that include campaign finance fraud, as well as the campaign’s refusal to provide requested information and documentation.
“The Board has determined there is reason to believe the Adams campaign has engaged in conduct detrimental to the matching funds program, in violation of law, including the Campaign Finance Act and Board Rules,” CFB Chair Frederick Schaeffer said during the Monday meeting when the decision was announced.
“His campaign also failed to provide documents and information requested by the Board,” Schaeffer continued. “Accordingly, Mayor Adams’ campaign for reelection has failed to demonstrate eligibility for public funds payment at this time.”
Adams’ campaign does still have over $3 million at its disposal without matching funds, according to CFB records. He is set to stand trial starting on April 21, right in the middle of the 2025 Democratic mayoral primary.
On top of that, Ingrid Lewis-Martin, Adams’ former chief adviser who abruptly resigned on Sunday, was indicted Thursday by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
Lewis-Martin faces charges of bribery and money laundering alongside her son, Glenn Martin II, and stands accused of accepting $100,000 in bribes from two businessmen in exchange for speeding up city approvals for construction projects on their behalf. Lewis-Martin’s son allegedly used the $100,000 to buy a Porsche luxury sports car.
Lewis-Martin, who has served as Adams’ right-hand since he was a state Senator over a decade ago, said before she was charged that “I have never done anything wrong in my capacity in government.”
The former chief adviser is the third major figure in Adams’ orbit, including the mayor himself, to face criminal charges in either federal or state court. She also follows multiple other officials who have resigned from top positions at City Hall over the past few months after coming under the scrutiny of federal or state law enforcement.
