Mayor Eric Leroy Adams of New York City recently found himself the center of attention, standing outside Gracie Mansion, as an array of Black religious leaders and civil rights advocates watched him prepare to address the public. Before he could start his speech, a strong masculine voice from the assembly interjected. The demand for his resignation commands an awkward air surrounding Adams. When he finally got the chance to speak, he reaffirmed his previous statements that he maintains his innocence and has no intentions of stepping down.
“This does not come as a surprise. We knew this was coming,” Adams declared on a certain Thursday, following endless conjecture since his digital devices, including mobile phones and a laptop, were confiscated back in November. Adams, a retired captain from the New York Police Department (NYPD) and a self-proclaimed ‘proud Brownsville, Brooklyn son,’ is known for his distinctive behaviors.
However, his relationship with the Black community in New York has not been straightforward. His public safety proposals have caused concern, including plans to reinstate a disputed plainclothes unit tasked to combat crime and the stop-and-frisk policy, which was previously outlawed due to its biased targeting of people of color. This puts Adams as the second Black mayor in the city’s history in a peculiar position.
The African American community of New York appears divided on whether Adams has truly prioritized their needs during his tenure. They have criticized the previous Brooklyn Borough president for his stance on issues such as law enforcement, criminal acts, immigration spikes, the city’s problematic penitentiary system, and the homelessness issue.
“Many had reservations about him from the start, predominantly due to the NYPD’s past and some of their less than favorable actions,” commented a political science faculty from a prestigious institution. Prior to making his initial court appearance, the former NYPD captain insinuated that he was being singled out for his position on the mass arrival of asylum seekers from the southern border into the city.
“I always knew that standing firm for all of you would make me a target, and indeed, I became one,” Adams asserted. Nevertheless, critics argue that Adams neglects the needs of Black and brown families residing in low-income areas in his policies.
Adams proclaimed his innocence by stating a not guilty plea when in court on Friday. If declared guilty, he could face a maximum sentence of forty-five years in federal prison. Adams has the unfortunate distinction of being the first in-office mayor of New York City to face an indictment from a federal grand jury on several charges, including bribery, wire fraud, conspiracy to perform wire fraud in order to receive campaign donations from foreign entities, and asking for contributions from a foreign national.
Across the span of several decades, political figures in both New York City and its neighboring New Jersey across the Hudson River have on numerous occasions been coerced into resigning, admitting guilt for a reduced sentence, or turned into cooperating witnesses for the prosecutions, while a handful dare to go to the trial hoping to challenge the prosecution to prove their guilt in a legal battle.
“It’s a heartbreaking day for New York as a whole, anytime a politician faces such a situation,” a university professor expressed. Calls for Adams to step down might have been hasty, as an indictment is not equivalent to a conviction.
If Adams decides to resign, the acting mayoral responsibilities would shift to the city’s public advocate, considering the indictment has yet to evolve into a conviction.