Alice Calcraft
“I always knew that if I stood my ground for New Yorkers that I would be a target — and a target I became” – Eric Adams, speaking to the New York Post on 25 September.
On Thursday 26 September, New York Mayor Eric Adams received five charges linked to a recent federal investigation, which could amount to a combined 45 years in prison. The 64-Year-Old Mayor was charged with wire fraud; two charges of soliciting campaign contributions from foreign nations; soliciting and accepting a bribe; and conspiracy to commit all of these crimes.
Whilst this indictment, threatening his future as New York Mayor, has developed in recent weeks, charges surrounding Adams have existed for the past 10 years. In 2014, Adams was elected as Brooklyn Borough President (with New York City comprised of 5 boroughs each with their respective leaders), making him the borough’s first Black leader. However, as the early years of his time in politics began, so did the rumours surrounding his involvement in illegal activities.
In 2018, Adams sought and accepted illegal contributions, which were mainly sourced from foreign officials. This further developed in 2021, when he received benefits, rumoured to include cheaper flights and hotel stays, in exchange for favourable treatment. Preparing for the upcoming 2025 mayoral election, where he is seeking to run for office again, he accepted legal contributions, offering requests to those who had supported his 2021 mayoral campaign.
the constant of his work was fighting against injustice and racism,
Elected as Mayor in 2022 with a goal to lower the city’s burgeoning crime rates, Adams has been no stranger in the past to a career in fighting crime. At 15, Adams decided to enter the police force after suffering a violent beating from police in the basement of a house. His goal was to improve the system from within. Quickly rising to the ranks of a captain in the New York Police Department, the constant of his work was fighting against injustice and racism, which also continued into his role in the State Senate.
In addition to his work fighting against injustice in the police force, Adams’ time in the Senate, as Brooklyn Borough President, and now as Mayor has a focus on combatting gun violence, investing in local schools, and fighting for the human rights of New Yorkers. Following a diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes, Adams became a strong advocate for health and wellness: switching his diet to veganism and encouraging others to do the same, particularly advocating for its importance in schools.
Adams’ policies throughout his career have also included shrinking the budget of the New York Public Library, as well as cutting funds for the preschool system, and preventing homeless shelters, particularly those targeted at helping homeless children, from receiving the support they needed for functioning fully.
2021 mayoral campaign received more than $10 million in public funds.
Whilst in his public policies Eric Adams has been observed to extract the funding needed to keep essential support systems for New Yorkers open, particularly those aiding those with less money, behind closed doors. Adams has also been observed to take money from the city’s ‘Matching Funds Programme’. This programme effectively provides mayoral candidates with public funds for use in their campaigns by matching small donations from residents from public funds. However, Adams wrongfully obtained public funds through illicit donations. Whilst it is unclear how many of his funds were received fraudulently, in total his 2021 mayoral campaign received more than $10 million in public funds. These actions have resulted in his charges of soliciting campaign contributions.
He has also been critiqued for his handling of migrants, particularly through his disapproval of the Biden-Harris Administration’s direction of migrants to New York. Through his criticism of the current President and Vice-President, Adams believes that this has contributed in the past two years to him being seen as a target, and that the federal charges against him are politically influenced by the White House.
70% of New Yorkers encouraging him to resign.
Target or not, Adams continues to be charged, and public opinion plummets, with 70% of New Yorkers encouraging him to resign. In the light of Adams’ position as a Democrat and with the upcoming US Presidential Election, many are looking towards this case for the potential impact that it may have on the race, with many Democrats in particular encouraging Adams to resign.
“We don’t surrender”. We fight for what we believe is right”.
However, Adams vows to remain in office and remain running for re-election, stating “We don’t surrender”. We fight for what we believe is right”. As the first New York mayor to be indicted whilst in office and public opinion polls the lowest they have ever been, polling at 28% at the end of 2023 and predicted to drop even further in the light of this current scandal, Adams may see the end of his Mayoral career sooner than he, or anyone else, expected.
Alice Calcraft
Featured image courtesy of Luke Stackpoole via Unsplash. Image license found here. No changes were made to this image.
For more content including Uni News, Reviews, Entertainment, Lifestyle, Features and so much more, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and like our Facebook page for more articles and information on how to get involved.
To keep up to date with all the latest Impact News, you can also follow us on the Impact News’ Facebook, Instagram and Twitter page.
