The UES Weighs In On Mayor Adams’ Indictment

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY – Mayor Eric Adams, the first New York City mayor to face federal charges, pleaded not guilty in Manhattan on Friday to bribery, fraud, and illegally soliciting campaign donations from a foreign national.

Adams maintains that he is innocent and has said that he will not resign. His attorney, Alex Spiro, reportedly characterized the charges as not “a real case.”

“This is the airline upgrade corruption case,” Spiro said.

Turkish officials allegedly cultivated Adams for years, according to a 57-page indictment made public on Thursday, showering him with freebies (like high-end air travel) worth approximately $100,000.

In return, these officials sought favorable treatment related to the opening of a new consulate building in 2021, authorities claim, as well as other political favors, including Adams’ alleged silence on the Armenian Genocide.

‘He Must Resign’

Congressman Jerry Nadler, who represents the Upper East Side in the House of Representatives, issued the following statement on Friday morning:

I have long been a defender of civil rights and civil liberties, and I strongly believe that every individual, no matter who they are, is guaranteed due process under the law. While the criminal charges outlined in the indictment by the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District are very serious, Mayor Adams deserves the right to due process and to be treated as presumed innocent until proven guilty. However, there are questions of whether the Mayor can continue to effectively lead our City as Mayor, at this time. My belief is that the Mayor has lost the ability to effectively lead the City of New York, and therefore, he must resign.

Closer to home, Council Member Julie Menin’s office did not have comment. Council Member Keith Powers’ office did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

‘I Want To See How This Plays Out’

On an unusually balmy autumn day, Patch took to the Upper East Side to gauge residents' reactions to the charges against their mayor.

In Carl Schurz Park, just blocks away from Gracie Mansion – the mayor’s residence – Melissa and Lesley were out enjoying a walk.

“I understand what the charges are, and it sounds pretty serious,” Lesley said. “He’s saying [he’s innocent]. What’s his defense going to be?”

Melissa nodded.

“I feel like there has to be some pretty concrete evidence, or else they wouldn’t have done this. It’s odd to me that he can stand there and say these things aren’t true,” Melissa said.

“Someone is lying. I just can’t imagine that all of this would come out without very solid information. He’ll look worse claiming he’s innocent, if it all turns out to be true,” she added.

Should Adams resign?

“If he did it, he should resign,” Melissa said.

“If the evidence is really compelling and it’s not defensible, it’s not fair to the public [for him to remain in office],” Lesley agreed.

Would either vote for Adams again in 2025?

“I voted for him, and I wouldn’t [vote for him again],” Melissa said. “I have come to the determination that with local politics, I would like somebody less liberal. I am very unhappy with the way that the city is now. I’ve lived here since 2006 – on the Upper East Side – and I have never felt less safe. I have children now, and I don’t feel comfortable with them walking around alone. The streets are not the same, there’s no repercussions for anything, it just feels like a lawless city right now.”

Lesley appeared to consider her words carefully.

“I voted, but it wasn’t necessarily for him,” she said. “I want to see how this plays out.”

‘It Looks Very Damning’

A few blocks away, outside of Fairway on 86th Street – between 2nd and 3rd Avenue – Sandra Forman said she's worried about what this means for the city.

“He’s innocent until proven guilty,” Forman said. “But I’m also aware that attorneys are usually very careful about proceeding with charges, and they usually don’t do it unless they have a lot of evidence. They’ve probably uncovered things that are difficult to explain,” she continued.

“I suppose he could say that his campaign staff – and others around him – are responsible, which is a little bit like Chris Christie and Bridgegate," she continued, referring to the former governor of New Jersey and a political scandal involving the deliberate (and retaliatory) closure of lanes on the George Washington Bridge, which connects Fort Lee, New Jersey, to Manhattan.

"Christie was able to get out of that one, so maybe Mayor Adams can get out of this one. But it’s an awful lot of charges, it looks very damning, and I don’t know who’s going to run the city. So I’m very concerned about how this will impact New Yorkers, because the city is already a mess.”

Forman hopes Adams will stay put – at least for now.

“I’d like to see him stay in place until they can get a special election together because I am really not convinced that the public advocate is qualified,” she said, referring to Jumaane Williams, who would become interim mayor if Adams stepped aside. “I mean, that's just horrifying.”

Forman, like Melissa, is also troubled by the current state of the city, and isn’t sure whether she’d vote for Adams in 2025.

“I voted for him. I had hoped he would bring the city in order. I voted Republican all the way up the ticket – other than Adams – for the first time in my entire life, because I am so in disagreement with the immigration policies of the [Biden Administration]. I feel particularly vulnerable, as a New Yorker, to potential terror cells getting here, so I’m completely in opposition to Biden and Harris on that point. But I will be voting for Harris because I can’t vote for Trump.”

“Would I vote for Adams again?” Forman mused. “Not unless he’s cleared, and if there were a Republican who I thought could be more effective, I’d be interested. Whichever party I have to vote for to get rid of what this city has become – I moved here in 1980, and we’re back to that.”

Broken Promises

On Park Avenue near 76th Street, Meryl, who said she’s lived on the Upper East Side for 40 years, told Patch that she’s disappointed.

“I’m not surprised, because I didn’t think he was a very good mayor to begin with,” Meryl said. “I think he’s been all talk and no action, and [seems] more concerned with the beautiful suits and ties and outfits that he wears. He made a lot of promises – the rats, the garbage, I still see those disgusting little outdoor eating hubs all over the city – and I don’t see anything visually better.”

Meryl said she wouldn’t vote for Adams if he ran for re-election, but didn’t immediately call for his resignation.

“If the accusations are true, then yeah, he should resign,” she concluded.

‘Should Have Been Smarter’

In a taxi – the Upper East Side is enormous and Patch had hoofed it across most of the neighborhood – Gibril shook his head when asked about the charges against Adams.

“I like Adams, but I’m very disappointed,” he said. “I thought that he would never put himself in things like this, but I’m confident that he’s going to prevail, because he’s a man of accomplishment. He started in law enforcement and he was able to become mayor, and before that, borough president.”

Would Gibril vote for Adams again?

“No,” he said. “He should have been smarter – don’t put yourself in any situation that you’re gonna be indicted or arraigned, no. I would never put myself in a situation like that. All my life I’ve been a fine person, and I want to stay that way.”