View From Here

By David Mark Greaves
October 3, 2024

The federal charges of bribery and campaign finance violations against Mayor Eric Adams are disappointing and painful for supporters to hear and for the city to endure.
Obviously, he’s innocent until proven guilty, but even putting oneself in that situation revealed lapses of judgment for which a price will be paid.

To be on the receiving end of a 57-page indictment from the Southern District of New York, featuring a paper trail of text messages and emails is a life-altering event. In his statement about the indictment, Mayor Adams said it was in retaliation for his relationship with the Biden administration. As soon as used the Trumpian defense of retaliation, I had a feeling that this was not going to go well and it didn’t.

When an aide booking flight arrangements with a Turkish Airlines representative rejects a $50 charge for an international flight, saying to charge an amount that would seem reasonable because “They’re watching his every step,” why keep stepping in that direction?

You can only sympathize with the choice of the road taken and have empathy for the pain and suffering brought on themselves and their families by misplaced loyalty and naivete in believing in the mayor’s hubris, that he, and they, can ignore the law with no consequences.
Now it is reported that the mayor has three choices: stay in office, resign, or be removed by Governor Kathy Hochul, who would just as soon stay out of it.

But allegations are just allegations, and with the recent Supreme Court ruling on what constitutes a political bribe, lavish travel upgrades and coming to the aid of a foreign government may have been usual courtesies and not bribery. However, alleged foreign contributions to the campaign are a whole other matter.

It’s a shame it’s come to this, but we will have to see if the mayor can compartmentalize mounting legal and political challenges and lead an administration that can effectively run the city.