Mayor delivers message to New Yorkers amid legal woes

Mayor Eric Adams delivered a fiery speech during a Sunday morning stop at Emmanuel Reformed Presbyterian Church in the Bronx.

Two days after the first-term mayor pleaded not guilty in federal court to corruption and bribery charges, Adams kept his message consistent: He is innocent and ready to continue serving New- Yorkers.

“This is a great moment to step up and show all New Yorkers, who are going through challenges in their lives, how you have stayed focused on your agenda and that’s what I’m going to do,” Adams said outside the church.

The mayor, speaking from the pulpit, said he had no plans to resign in the wake of the federal indictment, despite a growing chorus of political voices calling on him to do so.

“I will intensify my efforts. I will not resign, I will rule,” he said.

Back outside the Bronx church, the mayor was asked about the person who could force him from office, Gov. Kathy Hochul. She called the accusations “very serious” but did not indicate whether or not she would impeach the mayor.

“We have a great chief executive in this state and I’m going to continue to engage with her throughout this weekend and into next week,” he said.

Adams has pleaded not guilty to federal charges accusing him of accepting bribes and illegal campaign donations from Turkish nationals. The mayor’s personal lawyer said his client was innocent.

“We’re going to file a motion to dismiss. We expect these charges to be dismissed. It’s not even a real case,” Alex Spiro said Friday. “This is a corruption case related to an airline upgrade.”

Adams is scheduled to return to court on Wednesday to meet with the judge presiding over his case.

News 4’s Jonathan Dienst and Andrew Siff provide team coverage of the federal case involving New York City Mayor Eric Adams.