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By Kaitlin Lewis
Night Reporter
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A growing list of Democrats are calling on New York City Mayor Eric Adams to resign as federal investigations continue to plague his administration.
The first-term Democrat on Wednesday was indicted on federal criminal charges, according to sources who spoke with The New York Times, making him the first mayor in the city's history to face charges while in office. The details of the charges remain under seal, although they come nearly a year after FBI agents seized Adams' electronic devices as he left an event in Manhattan.
Further investigations have since been launched pertaining to Adams' administration, including earlier this month, when federal investigators searched a home and seized the phones of several top city officials, including New York City Police Commissioner Edward Caban and public schools Chancellor David Banks, both of whom have since resigned.
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Adams said in a statement on Wednesday that he "always knew that If I stood my ground for New Yorkers that I would be a target—and a target I became."
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"If I am charged, I am innocent and I will fight this with every ounce of my strength and spirit," read the statement from Adams, New York City's second-ever Black mayor.
Below is a running list of Democrats who are calling for Adams to resign.
- Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: Hours before reports of the Adams indictment emerged, New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez became the first member of Congress to call on the mayor to step down from his position, telling The New York Times in a statement that she could "not see how Mayor Adams can continue governing New York City. The flood of resignations and vacancies are threatening government function. Nonstop investigations will make it impossible to recruit and retain a qualified administration. For the good of the city, he should resign."
- Former New York City Mayoral Candidate Andrew Yang: Progressive politician Andrew Yang, who ran against Adams for mayor in 2021, told CNN Wednesday night that he believes Adams "should resign in order to give a new leader a chance to right the ship and get the city back to a place where it can hire and retain high-quality leaders to try and move the city forward." During a primary debate in the 2021 election, Yang had called out Adams for facing a "trifecta" of corruption investigations, and told CNN on Wednesday that "it's painful to be proven right."
- New York City Comptroller Brad Lander: The city's comptroller, Brad Lander, said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter, Wednesday night that charges against Adams mark "a sad day for New Yorkers," adding, "The hardworking people of New York City deserve a city government and leadership they can trust. Right now, they don't have it." Lander is a Democrat running to unseat Adams in the 2025 election.
- Former New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer: A former city comptroller, Scott Stringer, said Wednesday night that Adams needed to "resign for the good of the city," echoing Ocasio-Cortez's statement hours earlier. Stringer, who is also running in next year's Democratic mayoral primary, added: "There is simply zero chance that the wheels of government will move forward from this full steam ahead."
- New York State Senator Zellnor Myrie: State lawmaker Zellnor Myrie, another Democratic mayoral candidate for next year, also responded to reports of the charges against Adams, telling The New York Times on Wednesday, "We need a leader who is fully focused, without distraction, on the enormous challenges we face."
- New York State Senator Brad Hoylman: Democratic state lawmaker Brad Hoylman said in a post to his account on X Wednesday night, "It's untenable for Mayor Adams to continue in office while under federal indictment. He must resign now."
- New York City Councilman Lincoln Restler: City lawmaker Lincoln Restler, who represents parts of Brooklyn, said in a statement Wednesday that Adams "can no longer govern" and that he had "lost the trust of the everyday New Yorkers we elected to serve." He added in the post to X that if Adams "refuses, he must be removed from office as prescribed by the charter. New Yorkers deserve so much better."
Per The New York Times report, other state officials who have called for Adams to resign include New York State Senators John Liu, Gustavo Rivera, Julia Salazar and Jabari Brisport, and City Council members Tiffany Cabán, Alexa Avilés and Shekar Krishnan.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul, a Democrat and ally of Adams, has the power to remove the mayor from office. If he does resign or is removed, the city's public advocate, Jumaane Williams, will serve as acting mayor.
Hochul, like several prominent New York Democrats, has yet to speak on Adams' indictment. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, whose congressional district includes parts of Brooklyn, said in a statement shared with Newsweek on Thursday that Adams' indictment "is a serious and sober moment for New York City."
"Like every other New Yorker and American, Eric Adams is entitled to the presumption of innocence," Jeffries continued. "That principle is central to the administration of justice in the United States of America.
"A jury of the Mayor's peers will now evaluate the charges in the indictment and ultimately render a determination. In the meantime, I pray for the well-being of our great City," the House leader added.
Newsweek reached out to Hochul's office via email late Wednesday night for comment.
Update 09/26/24, 2:51 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional comment from Jeffries.
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