NYC Mayor Adams defends himself from calls to resign or be booted

Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News on Feb 24, 2025

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NEW YORK — Mayor Eric Adams slammed those calling for his resignation on Monday, saying removing him would be anti-democratic.

The mayor also added that he was never concerned about being removed from office by Gov. Kathy Hochul because he knew he did “nothing wrong.”

Calls both for the mayor’s resignation and for Hochul’s use of her power to boot him from office intensified after Trump’s Department of Justice ordered prosecutors to drop Adams’ federal corruption case in part so he could better carry out the president’s immigration objectives in the city.

“The possibility of dismissing your charges, that’s a reason to take away the mayor of the largest city in America?” Adams said at a media briefing on Monday. “If that’s the standard, we are all in trouble. If you can bypass the will of the people based on what people don’t like of an action, that’s not democracy.

“And it’s amazing that those who call themselves so democratic are leading the charge that a mayor who wasn’t convicted of anything … they are saying we need to remove him.”

Last week, Hochul said she wouldn’t remove him — for now, at least. Instead she announced a slate of possible legislation that would put further checks on the mayor’s power.

Adams has come under intense criticism in the two weeks since the DOJ first ordered his case dismissed. Politicians and other leaders, some formerly sympathetic to Adams, have accused him of entering into a corrupt agreement with the feds to assist Trump in exchange for leniency in his case.

The DOJ moved to dismiss the case “without prejudice,” meaning the charges could be brought back.

In the latest round of escalating calls for Adams to step down, elected leaders including state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Rep. Jerrold Nadler and Council Speaker Adrienne Adams have called on him to resign.

Four of the mayor’s top deputies, many of whom were appointed in the wake of a first round of resignations following Adams’ indictment in September, sent in their own resignation letters last week after privately voicing concerns about the president’s influence on city immigration policy.

Adams has denied there is any agreement in place and has repeatedly stated that he will not resign.

Adams downplayed the calls for his ouster by referencing Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, who is next in line should the mayor step down.

“Those who are calling (for my resignation) are going to take my spot,” the mayor said. “Come on. This becomes almost comical when you think about it.”

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(Daily News staff writer Chris Sommerfeldt contributed to this story.)

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