Mayor Adams: NYC Needs To Be 'Saved' From Cuomo After Campaign Launch

NEW YORK CITY —Mayor Eric Adams at a Monday press conference said that New York City needs to be saved from Andrew Cuomo in his first remarks following the ex-governor's campaign announcement over the weekend.

“Yes, I do believe we need to be saved — from him,” Adams said.

The mayor's comments come in response to Cuomo's campaign video, where the ex-governor said he is the one to “save” the city and blasted city leadership.

Adams declined to talk further about Cuomo's candidacy, mentioning he can't campaign from City Hall but would save attacks on Cuomo's record for the campaign trail.

Asked by reporters whether sexual harassment allegations and a scandal involving COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes were “disqualifying" for Cuomo, Adams said he doesn’t believe in disqualifying a person unless they do something “that’s really despicable.”

"I met with some of the nursing home family members and advocates, Adams added. There are some things that we want to do with them, but he has to answer that question on the trail. Should that be an automatic disqualification? No, I think it needs to be answered on the trail exactly what happened, and I think some of those family members are going to be looking forward to that."

In addition, the mayor addressed the now nine challengers for his position, saying they should an original campaign and not modeled it on issues he has already prioritized, including reducing crime, improving the city’s economy, and building more housing.

“Look at what I ran on and what I completed, and look at what they now are shifting to run on,” he said. “All I’m saying to all of them, get an OI, an original idea. Get your originality, Adams said.

"Don’t run on what Eric ran on and accomplished. You’re going to continue what I’ve done.”