OP-ED: Mayor Adams is adamant
Back in the summer at Riverside Church, Mayor Adams was late arriving for a ceremony to rename a street in tribute to New York City’s first African American mayor David Dinkins, his idol. Eric entered the room and stood right next to me. He was not aware that his coattail dangled just above a lit candle. After calling it to his attention, I said, “You don’t need another flame, you are hot enough.” He chuckled and stepped away from the fire. This time though, he may not be able to avoid the current political heat as calls mount for him to resign after being indicted and arraigned on federal charges alleging he took bribes and illegal campaign contributions from foreign sources.
During his arraignment Friday morning, Adams maintained he was not guilty.
As a reporter who has covered his activities for more than a generation, including those days when he was still in uniform and attended our rallies while a leader of 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement Who Care, I gathered an abiding respect for him. So, the welter of charges he’s facing now places me in concert with many Black Americans who are not calling for his resignation, but insisting on a presumption of innocence.
Among the notable New Yorkers echoing this plea is Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, who, if Adams is removed or steps down, will be the interim mayor. In a recent statement, Williams said, “It is federal officials’ obligation to prove their case. 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, and his time to show that plan is rapidly running out.”
The Rev. Al Sharpton was equally concerned about the rush to judgment and said the mayor should only be judged by the outcome of a potential trial. Earlier Sharpton expressed a more cautionary stance, noting that the mayor’s aggressive self-defense could hurt Vice President Kamala Harris and other Democrats seeking office. He promised to convene a meeting with Black leaders to chart a path forward.
Speaker of the New York City Council Adrienne Adams, who is not related to the mayor, said that she would continue to monitor the situation. She later added, “I ask the mayor to seriously and honestly consider whether full attention can be given to our deserving New Yorkers who need our government to be sound and stable.”
A presumption of innocence was the response from Democratic leader Rep. Hakeem 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.”
Two elderly leaders of the community, the Rev. Herbert Daughtry and Hazel Dukes, a former NAACP leader and currently president of the New York Chapter of the organization, stood by Adams on Thursday outside Gracie Mansion. Dukes asked the crowd to be quiet as she stepped to the microphone to defend the mayor. “I’m 92 years of age. I’ve known this young man for over 40 years. I come with a heavy heart today but my head is unbowed. He’s going to have his day in court and we’re going to stand by him.”
On several occasions, Eric and I have talked about collaborating on a book, an autobiography that would feature a life of recovery from a beating by a police officer, to one who became one of New York’s finest, and his political accomplishments. We now have a chapter to explain the tumultuous incidents now commanding the headlines — you ready Eric?
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