Gov. Kathy Hochul remained tightlipped Thursday on her embattled partner in City Hall, the now-indicted Mayor Eric Adams, even as numerous elected officials are calling for Hizzoner’s resignation.
Reached for comment, a spokesperson for Hochul — who under the state Constitution is empowered to remove local elected officials from office with cause — didn’t stake a hard position.
“Governor Hochul is aware of these concerning news reports and is monitoring the situation,” said Hochul spokesperson Avi Small. “It would be premature to comment further until the matter is confirmed by law enforcement.”
Federal prosecutors unsealed an indictment against Adams on Thursday morning at the Southern District of New York offices in Lower Manhattan, charging him with five counts of bribery, fraud, and soliciting illegal foreign campaign contributions.
He’s accused of accepting more than $100,000 of undisclosed gifts from the Turkish government as well as thousands in illegal campaign contributions, which he then would conceal the origin of and used to fraudulently obtain up to $10 million of public campaign matching funds. Further, he is accused of using his position to pressure the Fire Department to allow the opening of a new Turkish consulate despite the Department’s concerns that the building was not safe for occupancy.
His administration had already been facing several probes and has seen a wave of resignations in recent weeks.
In a taped statement, Mayor Adams insisted he is innocent, arguing any charges against him were “entirely false, based on lies” and suggesting he is being targeted by the feds as political retribution. He rejected offhand calls for his resignation: “Make no mistake, you elected me to lead this city, and I will.”
But the indictment has led to an outpouring of elected officials demanding that Adams resign — not least the mayoral hopefuls who are already seeking to unseat Hizzoner in 2025 in an unusually competitive race, with the incumbent facing low approval ratings and the looming investigative cloud over his head.
City Comptroller Brad Lander, who announced a run for mayor against Adams this summer, said that defending against federal charges would “require a significant amount of time and attention needed to govern this great city” and argued “the most appropriate path forward is for [Adams] to step down so that New York City can get the full focus its leadership demands.”
Brooklyn State Sen. Zellnor Myrie, who holds Adams’ old state Senate seat and is considering a mayoral run, similarly said the weight of Adams’ legal troubles would imperil his ability to lead the city.
“We need a leader who is fully focused, without distraction, on the enormous challenges we face — from housing affordability to public safety,” said Myrie. “A mayor under the weight of a serious indictment can no longer do that — and today I am calling on him to resign.”
Former Comptroller Scott Stringer, who plans to run against Adams a second time, said the indictment left New York’s government “a broken down trainwreck” and made a similar argument in calling for the mayor’s resignation: “His legal fight is not our fight.”
Numerous city, state, and federal legislators — from progressive U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to conservative City Councilman Bob Holden — have called on the mayor to resign following the news of the indictment.
On the other hand, state Sen. Jessica Ramos, who announced her challenge of Adams earlier this month, stopped short of demanding that Adams quit in a Wednesday evening statement, though she did say that “a new day for our city is long overdue” following “weeks of FBI raids, indictments, and resignations.”
Meanwhile, Assembly Member Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, head of the Brooklyn Democratic Party and a close ally of the mayor, declined to call for resignation, insisting the mayor is entitled to “due process.”
“Fairness demands simply that Mayor Adams is given what each of us would want: a presumption of innocence.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, one of New York’s most influential Democrats, declined to call for a resignation.
“No one is above the law, including the Mayor of New York City,” said Schumer. “The charges are serious, and the legal process should now play out speedily and fairly.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, also highly influential in New York Democratic politics, also declined to call for a resignation.
“Eric Adams is entitled to the presumption of innocence,” said Jeffries. “A jury of the Mayor’s peers will now evaluate the charges in the indictment and ultimately render a determination. In the meantime, I pray for the well-being of our great City.”
Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, who would take over as mayor should Adams resign, said he feels “disbelief and indignation” about the charges and said Adams must do more than “deflect blame and deny responsibility.” But the Man Who Would Be Mayor is not yet calling for Hizzoner’s resignation.
“It is federal officials’ obligation to prove their case, and it is the mayor’s obligation to prove to New Yorkers that there is a real plan and path to govern the city effectively and regain trust,” said Williams. “And his time to show that plan is rapidly running out.”
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