Mayor Eric Adams faced reporters by himself on Tuesday — without his usual dais of aides, lawyers and deputies or theme song — to answer a barrage of questions in his first official press conference since pleading not guilty to federal corruption charges last week.
Unfazed by Indictment
“I have a city to run and I have an amazing team to do,” he said standing in City Hall’s rotunda, a change from the usual Blue Room used for his weekly press briefings. “My deputy mayors, my chief advisor, my commissioners, my legal team — they need to be focused on running the city.”
Alone at the podium, he repeated a defiant message that’s grown more insistent over the past week, even after the mayor was hit with a five-count indictment that includes charges of conspiracy, bribery and wire fraud.
“Every day, New Yorkers are hit with bad news, every day. And the message is that when you reach an obstacle, just throw up your hands and give up?” he said. “That’s not who I am. And if that’s who I am, then I should have never, have put myself in this position to be mayor. I can’t be any clearer: obstacles don’t stop me, they strengthen me. And that has been my life story.”
Public Appearances
Since the indictment was first unsealed last Thursday, Adams has stood with religious and civil-rights leaders outside Gracie Mansion and visited churches, including one Monday night in Corona, Queens.
“You cannot worry about the road if God is at the steering wheel,” he said Tuesday, leaning heavily on his faith. “That’s who’s driving me. And I’m going to be here for this city.”
New Appointments
Adams has also tried to fill his daily schedule with business-as-usual appearances, and on Tuesday he announced he planned to nominate Muriel Goode-Trufant, his current interim corporation counsel, for the role permanently.
That top city lawyer job had been vacant for months after Sylvia Hinds-Radix stepped down, and his previous nominee, Randy Mastro, withdrew following a bruising hearing in the City Council.
Resignations and Controversies
Adams answered questions on the resignation of key advisor Tim Pearson, who submitted his resignation letter Monday announcing his departure at the end of this week — noting that he didn’t push Pearson out.
“Tim made the decision that he wanted to focus on another aspect of his life and deal with those items he had to deal with,” the mayor said about Pearson’s departure. “And he made the determination that it was time for him to go on with that. And I respect that. He served his city as a police officer and in private and public life. And he’s moving on to the next level.”
However, Adams dodged questions on whether the city would still pay for Pearson’s legal fees as he fights four lawsuits from former colleagues alleging sexual harassment and retaliation, or who — if anyone — might replace him as head of the shadowy Office of Municipal Service Assessment that Adams created as Pearson’s domain.
Court Filing
Separately on Tuesday, Adams’ private attorney, Alex Spiro, filed a motion asking a judge to impose sanctions against the office of Manhattan U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, charging federal prosecutors with illegally leaking protected grand jury material to the New York Times and other media outlets.
Conclusion
Despite the challenges facing him, Mayor Adams remained defiant and optimistic, pledging to continue serving the city and pushing forward despite the obstacles.
FAQs
Q: Did Mayor Adams resign as head of the Office of Municipal Service Assessment?
A: The article does not mention a resignation, but rather Pearson’s departure at the end of the week.
Q: Will the city still pay for Tim Pearson’s legal fees?
A: According to a spokesperson for the city Law Department, the city is still evaluating the matter and has not yet made a determination.
Q: Who will replace Tim Pearson as head of the Office of Municipal Service Assessment?
A: The article does not mention a replacement at this time.
