Ahead of his independent run for mayor, Eric Adams sat down with “Mornings On 1” Friday to outline his record on public safety, criticize partisan politics and discuss his campaign after the dismissal of his federal court case.
“I tell voters all the time, go to the items I ran on and then go look at what we have accomplished. Our public safety was the foundation. It's the prerequisite to our prosperity, and the numbers are extremely impressive,” Adams said. “We have witnessed five straight quarters of decreasing crime in the city, and we're seeing a success.”
Adams was joined by NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, who credited the city’s “zone-based policing” strategy for the decrease in crime.
“It’s so important to find the pockets of crime, where the crime is occurring and put our cops there. And that’s been the strategy that we’ve been using, both above ground and below ground, which is really delivering unbelievable results,” Tisch said.
When asked if voters would still trust him after a tumultuous few months, Adams said he believes New Yorkers will relate to his struggles.
“Voters would tell you, and they tell me all the time, ‘Eric, I have distractions in my life, but I have to still move forward. I have to educate my children, to have my children educated. I have to deal with the affordability.’ I think people underestimate how voters realize that things happen in life, and so you can’t just reward yourself on what you have done, but what you have overcome,” he said.
Adams’ interview came a day after he announced he would forgo the June 24 Democratic primary to run as an independent in the November general election. When pressed about his decision, Adams said it was influenced by the timing of his court case dismissal.
“We thought this decision from the judge would have come sooner, but it didn’t. And you have to adjust. Running a campaign is a chess match, not a checkers match, and you must be willing to adjust,” Adams said.
Adams also addressed his recent willingness to work with members of the Trump administration, saying he is committed to being bipartisan as mayor of New York City.
“This is what is happening in politics. Stop being partisan. Find solutions wherever they are,” he said. “I’m not partisan. I am producing for the people of the city… when people want to push me into a partisan corner, I’m not going to do that.”
He added he intends to meet with U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who has threatened to withhold federal funding due to concerns about rising crime in New York City.
“I can’t communicate with him if I just ball up my fist and say, ‘I’m not going to speak with you because you’re a Republican.’ No, I’m going to open my hand, extend it, and shake his hand and say, I want to produce for the city that I love,” Adams said.
