A growing number of New York City elected officials have called embattled Mayor Eric Adams, facing federal criminal charges, “unfit to serve and lead.” ', demanding his resignation.
In an indictment unsealed Thursday, federal prosecutors charged Adams with five counts of bribery, wire fraud, conspiracy and solicitation of illegal foreign campaign contributions. The news comes following a series of federal investigations into the mayor and several of his aides.
“Since the first scandal broke, the mayor has vowed to 'stay focused, stay undistracted and keep working hard,' insisting that everything he does is for the people of this city. , no one can concentrate on this constant stream of distractions: scandals, resignations, subpoenas, FBI raids, and now damning indictments dating back 10 years.'' New York City Progressive Congressman the group said in a statement.
“We have too many pressing issues that require steady, honest and positive leadership. The only thing he's working on is bringing our city to a standstill.”
New York City Mayor Eric Adams indicted
New York City Mayor Eric Adams will hold a press conference at City Hall in June. (Adam Gray/Getty Images)
The city's 18-member Progressive Caucus said Adams' tenure involved “an astonishing level of political favoritism, resembling a system of patronage and cronyism not seen in nearly a century.” It included,” he wrote.
It added: “This is a crisis of his own making and reflects what he describes as poor decision-making, a failure of leadership and a disregard for the rule of law.” “No amount of scapegoating can distract from the serious and thorough nature of this federal investigation. Mayor Adams should resign.”
Alex Spiro, attorney for New York City Mayor Eric Adams, spoke at a press conference Thursday in front of Gracie's mansion in New York. (Rashid Umar Abbasi, Fox News Digital)
New York City Councilman Robert Holden, a member of the conservative Common Sense Caucus, called for Adams to resign, saying he “cannot lead effectively in the face of this cloud.”
“Sad day for New York City as the sitting mayor is indicted on federal charges. @NYCMayor is presumed innocent until proven guilty, but this cloud is clouding his ability to effectively lead. There’s no reason.” Holden wrote about X. “Given the challenges we face, he must resign in the interest of New Yorkers.”
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City Council member Linda Lee echoed Holden's sentiments, saying that while Adams has the right to defend himself against the charges, he is “unfit to serve and lead.”
“Everyday New Yorkers shouldn't have to worry about this type of uncertainty and disruption seen from City Hall,” Lee said in a statement. “The mayor has the right to due process and the right to defend himself against these charges, but not to the detriment of the greatest city in the world. At this time, he has the right to serve and lead.” This is not appropriate and he must resign immediately.”
New York City Mayor Eric Adams spoke at a news conference Thursday in front of Gracie Mansion. (Rashid Umar Abbasi, Fox News Digital)
City Councilwoman Sandy Nurse targeted Adams' law and order platform.
“Mayor Adams ran on the platform of 'law and order.' During his time in office, he never missed an opportunity to attack progressives and leftists, accusing us of not being serious about community safety and crime.” Mr. Nurse said. “During that time, his regime was nothing but a mess of corruption, deceit, and dysfunction.”
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“Governing a city effectively is impossible amidst a constant stream of resignations, scandals, and now indictments. And the imminent threat of President Trump becoming president again – that's a huge threat to New York City. Given the devastating effects, we need a strong, honest executive who will put the city above himself and his friends.”
New York City Mayor Eric Adams attended a press conference in June. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
read indictment:
The calls for Mr. Adams to resign came after federal prosecutors alleged Thursday that the 64-year-old Mr. Adams illegally accepted foreign and corporate campaign contributions over a 10-year period in exchange for influence.
Adams denied the allegations in a video statement, calling the charges against him “based on lies and completely untrue,” and hinting that his criticism of the Biden administration's disastrous border policies made him a target of retaliation.
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“The federal government did nothing because broken immigration policies left the shelter system overburdened with no relief,” he said. “I put the people of New York over political parties and politics.”
Fox News Digital's Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.
