Adams Critiques Mamdani’s Prostitution Stance

Mayor Eric Adams took a strong stance against mayoral candidate Zoran Mamdani’s long-running push to decriminalize prostitution, framing his argument in religious terms. “I can’t be more clear. I am a man of God, and Mamdani claims to be Muslim. I’m not sure where he stands with the Quran,” Adams remarked.

He continued, questioning Mamdani’s religious interpretations, stating, “I don’t know what he’s reading. That’s not in my Bible.” Adams emphasized that Mamdani’s viewpoint overlooks the real victims of sex trafficking.

“You’re not providing any service to a woman on the street who is forced to sell her body for any reason,” he expressed to reporters on Sunday.

Adams criticized Mamdani’s focus on legalizing sex work, pointing out, “We’re trying to defeat crime while he talks about legalizing sex work. Number one: as someone who says he has faith, I don’t see what religion supports prostitution. He seems to misunderstand that sex trafficking is a significant aspect of the prostitution issue,” he remarked.

These comments followed an article highlighting Mamdani’s previous attempts to change New York laws that would make selling sex a crime. The candidate has been vocal about this topic since his run for the state legislature in 2020, continuing to support his position throughout.

However, now at 33 years old and in his mayoral campaign, Mamdani has been relatively silent on this issue. Critics have voiced concerns that, if elected, he might actively push for legalized prostitution.

Adams, running for reelection as an independent, believes that advocating for such measures would harm the city’s safety. “If that’s his belief, it’s dangerous for our city. We need to work towards a safe environment, not a place where women or young boys are standing on corners,” he concluded.