2 months ago
16
New York City
mayor
Eric Adams
maintained composure as he got yelled at and was called the 'disgrace for all Black people in the city' during his press conference after he was charged with five counts
bribery charges
. He even held a smile as he got heckled at the presser. Eric Adams has been indicted on charges he allegedly took $10 million in illegal campaign contributions and bribes, including free flights and other perks, from foreign nationals.
The 57-page indictment said since 2014 when Eric Adams became Brooklyn Borough president, he has been seeking and accepting improper valuable benefits such as luxury international travel and one of them was from one Turkish government official who sought to gain influence over him. The indictment said the mayor agreed providing favorable treatment in exchange for the illicit benefits he received.
Eric Adams in his press meet denied the wrongdoing and said he would not resign and fight the charges.
"From here, my attorneys will take care of the case so I can take care of the city. It's an unfortunate day. And it's a painful day. But inside all of that is a day when we will finally reveal why, for 10 months, I’ve gone through this. And I look forward to defending myself," he said adding that he was being targeted for criticizing the Harris-Biden administration.
“I always knew that if I stood my ground for all of you, that I would be a target — and a target I became,” Adams said. “I will fight these injustices with every ounce of my strength and my spirit.”
Who becomes mayor if Eric Adams resigns
Though Adams has made it clear that he would not resign, in case he were to resign, New York City's public advocate,
Jumaane Williams
, would become the acting mayor.
Williams, a left-leaning Democrat from Brooklyn, has served as public advocate since winning a special election in 2019. He was reelected to a full term in 2021 and ran unsuccessfully for governor the next year.
Williams has been a fierce critic of Adams, assailing the mayor's aggressive policing strategy and pushing to end solitary confinement in city jails. Williams has also cast doubts about the mayor's ability to govern amid a swirl of federal investigations.
