New York Democrats mostly refrained from calling for the resignation of New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Thursday. They described his federal indictment on bribery charges as a “sober” and “solemn” episode, stating that the legal process should be allowed to proceed, The Hill reports. “Like every other New Yorker and American, Eric Adams is entitled to the presumption of innocence. That principle is central to the administration of justice in the United States of America,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), said in a statement. “A jury of the Mayor’s peers will now evaluate the charges in the indictment and ultimately render a determination.” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the highest-ranking New York Democrat in the country, sounded a similar note, writing in a statement that the legal process should proceed. Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.), who represents parts of Manhattan and the Bronx, held the same sentiment.
The one exception — so far — has been Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), who called for Adams’s resignation even before the indictment was announced. She said the various investigations into the mayor were, by themselves, enough to erode the public confidence needed to execute the duties of the office. “The flood of resignations and vacancies are threatening gov function,” Ocasio-Cortez wrote Wednesday on the social platform X. “Nonstop investigations will make it impossible to recruit and retain a qualified administration.” One political observer in New York noted that there might be some indecision about Adams’s future in part because no one has confidence in the public advocate’s ability to manage the city. But Susan Del Percio, a prominent Republican strategist said Vice President Harris would likely say what Democrats had largely said during Hunter Biden’s case: “to let the judicial system carry this out.”
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