NEW YORK — New York City’s recalcitrant Democratic mayor hit one hurdle after another Monday, facing mounting fallout from an investigation into him and his top aides just as he seeks to improve his precarious political standing.
The city’s Campaign Finance Board voted Monday morning to deny $4.5 million in public funding to Mayor Eric Adams’ re-election bid. Ninety minutes later, his longest-serving aide, Ingrid Lewis Martin, and her attorney announced that the Manhattan district attorney would soon indict her on corruption charges. More than 1,200 miles away, President-elect Donald Trump said he would consider pardoning the mayor in a federal bribery case, a legal lifeline with great political risk in New York City’s Democratic primary.
The string of bad news comes as Adams faces an attack from a group of lesser-known Democrats seeking to unseat him next year and that former Gov. Andrew Cuomo is expected to jump into the primary race. It was brought about during this time. The mayor has recently been actively trying to change his situation. Claiming the mayor was targeted for criticizing outgoing President Joe Biden, he blamed negative coverage from local reporters and pushed out a series of positive announcements on public safety, tax cuts and affordable housing. .
None of that was enough to survive Monday’s bad news, which devolved into a combative press conference in which staffers tried to interrupt reporters asking questions about urgent stories.
By refusing to provide matching funds to Adams, the local board gave him another six months to raise money for next June’s Democratic primary, a significant setback for the incumbent. , although this is an issue he can appeal.
The committee based its decision in part on a five-count federal indictment alleging that Adams participated in a bribery scheme involving the Turkish government. The mayor has maintained his innocence and is scheduled to go to trial in April.
On top of that, with Monday’s decision, the board has taken into its own hands a series of attacks that will ensure the mayor is cornered throughout his campaign.
“Mayor Adams’ chances of being re-elected are now even slimmer,” said Tripp Yang, a Democratic strategist and consultant to public law scholar Jumaane Williams, a potential mayoral challenger to Adams. . “He could raise even more donations, but it would take a lot of effort and time. And this could be used against him by Democratic primary voters who dislike Trump.” further increasing the range of credibility arguments.”
Adams said at a news conference that several potential competitors were not eligible for matching funds, but the board may change its mind in the future. However, he did not mention that his rivals were rejected for various reasons.
“We will continue to work with the CFB to answer their questions so that we can continue to raise funds,” Adams said. “Even without the money, we outperformed everyone else in the race by a wide margin.”
He also had to deal with the pending issue of Lewis Martin, who abruptly resigned on Sunday ahead of criminal charges expected this week. She has served as Adams’ closest and most loyal advisor for decades, but is leaving his ranks during one of the most difficult periods of his political career.
The mayor spoke in deeply personal terms Monday about the loss amid a reported feud between the two.
“When I went on stage to give a speech or go to a debate, no matter what I was doing, she would come into the room, ask everyone to leave, and hand me over. “I did that for her this morning. I held her up in prayer,” Adams said.
The mayor said she is “not only a friend, but my sister, and I love her very much. I sincerely ask God to give her strength in the days to come.” said.
Lewis Martin’s press conference, held in attorney Arthur Aidala’s office, was a reminder that the investigation into Adams and his inner circle still mounts. Aidala, a friend and donor to Adams, answered in the affirmative when asked if he thought Manhattan prosecutors were trying to get his client to cooperate with the case against the mayor.
For Adams, these legal issues may be alleviated by the next president.
Republicans have expressed sympathy for Democratic mayors, each claiming that Biden’s Justice Department is targeting them for political retribution.
In Adams’ case, he publicly criticized Biden’s handling of the immigration crisis. And both Mr. Adams and Mr. Trump say this action prompted the Justice Department’s action.
“I said he would be indicted,” Trump said Monday at a press conference at Mar-a-Lago. “And a few months later, he was indicted. So I’ll certainly look into it. [a pardon]”
Adams said he would defer questions about Trump’s comments to his lawyers and said he hoped the president-elect would de-politicize the Justice Department.
“President-elect Trump’s experience shows that if the Department of Justice is doing what President Biden has said, including using it for political purposes, he has a duty to the American people to make sure that’s not the case. “I think it’s gotten better,” Adams said.
President Trump’s pardon will almost certainly be a political liability for Adams in the Democratic primary, which typically draws center-left voters to the polls. Trump lost the city in the last general election. 68-30 — proving that it remains a stronghold of anti-Trump Democrats even as he made big gains across the state.
It remains to be seen whether any of Adams’ lesser-known opponents will be able to effectively wield it against him, but early indications are that most of them are trying that line of attack. – Presumably, even the slightest whiff of MAGA affiliation will turn voters off.
Adams avoided criticizing Trump or criticizing Kamala Harris during the campaign. Since Election Day, he has hosted the next border czar at his official residence, Gracie Mansion, to discuss immigration policy and spoke passionately about Elon Musk’s high-level role in the next White House.
“I should not have been indicted,” Adams said at a news conference Monday. “God has a way of showing the ironies of life. I’m just saying the same thing that President Biden said. President Biden said the Department of Justice is politicized. President Trump That’s what I said.”
He was referring to the pardon of Biden’s son Hunter Biden and the president’s subsequent statements alleging that his Justice Department engaged in politically motivated selective prosecution. .
Adams’ bad Monday came just as things were starting to look up for the mayor.
Earlier this month, the city council member approvedAdams’ typical housing plan. He joined politically influential trade unions and announced populist national measures that gave tax relief to low-wage workers. And the NYPD, with the help of a Pennsylvania fast-food worker, helped arrest a 26-year-old suspect in the murder of a United Healthcare CEO.
Back at City Hall, Mr. Adams ousted top advisers embroiled in local and federal investigations at the behest of Gov. Cathy Hochul, who has the power to remove him from office. This group of embattled aides, including a former police chief, school principal and two deputy mayors, have been replaced by government veterans who insiders generally consider to be serious and competent.
Political and government officials, in particular, have cited his appointment of Maria Torres Springer as first deputy mayor in October as a sign that his administration will begin to focus on governing amid investigations and accusations. praised.
City Hall spokeswoman Kayla Mamelak Artus said overall crime numbers have decreased since Adams took office, but employment numbers have increased.
“As Mayor Adams always says, ‘stay focused, don’t get distracted, and keep trying,'” she said in a statement. “The best way to serve New Yorkers is to keep our eyes on the goal of improving our city and let the results speak for themselves.”
