Hochul: Adams indictment 'shocking,' will review it; others call for mayor to resign

Gov. Kathy Hochul called the indictment of New York City Mayor Eric Adams on federal corruption charges “shocking in its scale,” but said she will be “deliberative” before taking a stance or action.

State Democratic chairman Jay Jacobs said the justice process must play out and he won’t call for the mayor’s resignation.

Others aren’t waiting, including would-be mayoral replacements. They said Adams cannot govern while under a legal cloud and must step down.

But perhaps importantly for Adams, none of the resignation calls came from any of the top elected Democrats and major party players in New York State.

Adams was indicted on five counts of corruption, including wire fraud and soliciting campaign donations from foreign nationals. The mayor has said the charges are untrue and he won’t resign — though he is sure to be under great pressure to do so.

For now, many of the leading players in New York Democratic circles are waiting before telling the mayor to step aside.

The governor has the power to remove a mayor, per the New York City charter. But a governor has never removed a New York mayor. In 1932, Mayor Jimmy Walker resigned not long after then-Gov. Franklin D. Roosevelt held hearings about alleged corruption in Walker’s administration.

Hochul sought to give few hints about her view, other than promising to be “thoughtful” about coming to a “resolution of what to do.”

“I will say this: I will take my time to review this indictment, see what’s embedded in it,” Hochul told reporters. “I am not going to send any indication, at this time, of what I’m going to do because it would be absolutely irresponsible of me.”

She later said of the alleged corruption: “Yes, it is shocking in its scale and we are deeply concerned.”

Jacobs said, “I think the justice system has to play out. I think everyone has a right to defend himself. Wait until this is determined by a court of law.”

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, in a statement said, “No one is above the law, including the mayor of New York City. The charges are serious, and the legal process should now play out speedily and fairly.”

New York's other senator, Kirsten Gillibrand, a Democrat, did not comment immediately. Nor did the leaders of the Assembly or State Senate. All of New York’s top elected leaders are Democrats.

The Biden administration said it would not comment about an ongoing legal matter, even in response to Adams’ claim that he is being targeted by federal investigators because of his vocal opposition to the federal government's handling of the migrant crisis.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said since "Day One" that President Joe Biden has pledged that the U.S. Department of Justice would act independently from the White House.

"The DOJ is handling this case independently. I’m not going to go beyond that," Jean-Pierre said.

Asked if Biden and Adams spoke on Wednesday night at an event in Manhattan, following Biden's two-day trip to New York City for the United Nations General Assembly, she said: "The president did not see the mayor and they did not speak."

Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove), who turned down an offer from Adams to serve as a deputy mayor in his administration in 2021, said in a written statement: "It’s sad that yet another public official has been indicted."

Suozzi added: “People are losing faith, but I am confident in our system of justice, and I know that by following our long-established process, that in the end justice will be served."

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-Brooklyn) called Thursday a “sober moment” but said Adams, like all defendants, is entitled to a presumption of innocence.

“A jury of the mayor’s peers will now evaluate the charges in the indictment and ultimately render a determination,” Jeffries said.

Others said the indictment itself is enough to prompt the mayor to step down.

“A mayor under the weight of a serious indictment can no longer do that — and today, I am calling on him to resign,” said State Sen. Zellnor Myrie (D-Brooklyn), who plans to run in the 2025 mayoral election.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-Bronx/Queens), referencing the slew of resignations from the Adams administration prior to the indictment, said in a statement: “The flood of resignations and vacancies are threatening government function. Nonstop investigations will make it impossible to recruit and retain a qualified administration.”

With Keshia Clukey, Laura Figueroa Hernandez and Tom Brune

By Yancey Roy

yancey.roy@newsday.com@yanceyroy