Former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday night he felt “shock and concern for our city” when he learned Wednesday that Mayor Eric Adams was indicted as part of a federal corruption probe, adding that he has “two different feelings at this moment.”
“And then another is a very strong reminder that innocent until proven guilty is the American way,” de Blasio told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins in an interview Wednesday evening on her show "The Source."
“I do think, we have to be very careful here, we haven't seen anything specific,” the former mayor added about the charge against Adams, which marks the first time a sitting mayor of New York City has been indicted on criminal charges. “We don't know what this is yet. We haven't heard a defense, so I’m feeling very, you know, two different feelings at this moment.”
De Blasio said it was “absolutely urgent that Adams stabilize things” and give New Yorkers a clear message about “how he’s going to make sure the administration is strengthened at this particular moment.”
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Longtime New York City political journalist and consultant Andrew Kirtzman later told Collins that what plays out next with figures like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) already calling on Adams to resign will “be a fascinating political situation, and a very tense one.”
“Eric Adams is only the second Black mayor of New York City, and he has never been reluctant to play the race card whenever accused of any ethical transgression of which there have been many instances. He just played it today when AOC called on his resignation," Kirtzman said. "It’s going to put a lot of white politicians on guard.”
He added that Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Gov. Kathy Hochul, and President Joe Biden will all face “a lot of pressure.” Biden called on former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to resign amid a handful of sexual harassment allegations though he faced no criminal charges.
Watch the clip below or at this link.