NYC Council members call for Eric Adams' 'immediate' resignation after federal indictment: 'Unfit to lead'
A growing number of elected officials in New York City have called on embattled Mayor Eric Adams to resign in the face of federal criminal charges, saying he is "unfit to serve and lead."
In an indictment unsealed Thursday, federal prosecutors charged Adams with five counts of bribery, wire fraud, conspiracy and solicitation of illegal foreign campaign donations. The news followed a series of federal probes into the mayor and several of his top aides.
"Since the first of the scandals came out, the Mayor has been determined to ‘stay focused, no distractions, and grind,’ claiming that everything he does is for the people of this City. But no one can be focused on this constant stream of distractions: scandals, resignations, subpoenas, FBI raids, and now damning indictments dating back a decade," the NYC Progressive Caucus wrote in a statement.
"We have too many pressing issues that need steady, honest, and forward-facing leadership. The only thing he's grinding is our city to a halt."
NEW YORK CITY MAYOR ERIC ADAMS INDICTED
The city's progressive caucus, which includes 18 members, wrote that Adams' tenure included an "alarming level of political favoritism, akin to a system of patronage and cronyism we have not seen in almost a century.
"This is a crisis of his own making, a reflection of poor decision-making, failed leadership, and disregard for the rule of law that he expounds," it added. "No amount of scapegoating can distract from the serious and thorough nature of the federal investigation. Mayor Adams must resign."
New York City Council Member Robert Holden, who is part of the conservative-leaning Common Sense Caucus, called for Adams' resignation, saying he cannot "effectively lead with this cloud hanging over him."
"Sad day for NYC when a sitting mayor is indicted on federal charges. While @NYCMayor is presumed innocent until proven guilty, there is no way he can effectively lead with this cloud hanging over him," Holden wrote on X. "With the challenges we face, he must step down for the good of New Yorkers."
Council Member Linda Lee echoed Holden's thoughts, saying that while Adams has the right to defend himself against the charges, he is "unfit to serve and lead."
"Everyday New Yorkers should not have to concern themselves with this type of uncertainty and chaos that we are seeing from City Hall," Lee wrote in a statement. "The Mayor is entitled to due process and the right to defend himself against these charges, but not to the detriment of the greatest city in the world. At this time, he is unfit to serve and lead and must resign immediately."
Council Member Sandy Nurse targeted Adams' law and order platform.
"Mayor Adams ran on a ‘law and order’ platform. Throughout his tenure, he never missed a chance to attack progressives and the Left, accusing us of being unserious about community safety and crime," Nurse said. "Meanwhile, his administration has been nothing but a mess of corruption, deceit, and dysfunction."
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"It is impossible to govern a city effectively amidst a constant stream of resignations, scandals, and now indictments. And with the looming threat of another Trump presidency — which would be catastrophic for New York City — we need leadership that is strong, honest, and focused on solving our City's most intractable problems. Above all, we need an Executive that puts the City above him and his friends."
READ THE INDICTMENT:
The calls for Adams' resignation come as federal prosecutors alleged on Thursday that the 64-year-old illegally received foreign and corporate campaign donations for a decade in exchange for influence.
Adams denied the allegations in a video statement, saying any charges filed against him are "entirely false, based on lies" and insinuating that his criticism of the Biden administration's disastrous border policies made him a target for retaliation.
"The federal government did nothing as its broken immigration policies overloaded our shelter system with no relief," he said. "I put the people of New York before party and politics."
Fox News Digital's Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.