Mayor Eric Adams talks subway crime, campaign scandal and Mideast crisis on Eyewitness News
NEW YORK (WABC) -- New York City Mayor Eric Adams joined Eyewitness News for a live interview on Wednesday to discuss some of the biggest issues facing the city.
Eyewitness News anchors Bill Ritter and Sade Baderinwa asked the mayor a slew of questions related to crime, safety and a scandal connected to his mayoral campaign.
Adams offers take on Midtown subway shooting and crime
Bill: "These stories with vigilantes opening fire, it works on Clint Eastwood movies, but in real life: what's your take on this?"
"People don't realize that if you carry a gun and think you're going to defend yourself, you often become the victim of that type of violence," Adams said. "Let the police do their job, don't think that you can do the job without the proper training that comes with law enforcement."
Mayor addresses FBI raid on chief fundraiser
Sade: "The latest on the FBI raid of Brianna Suggs' home -- your chief fundraiser. Federal agents are now looking into whether your campaign conspired with the government of Turkey to receive illegal foreign donations. What's the status of that investigation? Have you been interviewed by the FBI, and why did you hire a lawyer?
Adams said he was not interviewed, and that he did retain an attorney for the campaign and for himself.
"I tell everyone that's associated with my staff and my campaign that we followed the law," Adams said.
The mayor says that his team will comply and be as transparent as possible.
Why the mayor chose to cancel DC trip to return to NYC
Bill: "The morning of the raid you cancelled meetings you had at the White House and with senators and congressional reps about the migrant crisis, and you came home. Other mayors were there for the meetings, but who better to make the case about needing help than you? Wasn't that more important than coming back for a raid you couldn't control?"
Adams said he was invited by the mayor of Denver and said that there is finally a coalition of mayors across the nation joined together to address the migrant crisis. He says those mayors remained in Washington.
As for his campaign fundraiser, Adams said Suggs, who started as a young intern, went through a "traumatizing experience," and that coupled with the uncertainty of what was going on, prompted him to return to New York.
"I'm just surprised that people don't see the human element of a 25-year-old young lady who was traumatized, and my role was to try to show some emotional support to my entire team here, as well as to my campaign staff," Adams said. "You know my style of leadership is to be on the front line, to be where the issues are and that's what I felt at the time I needed to do."
Adams said he wanted his team to know that he would be there during difficult times.
Mayor addresses cost of living in NYC, lack of affordability
Sade: "One of the biggest worries of New Yorkers is the cost of living here. It is now the worst it's been for the last two decades, and when you include affordable housing, inflation, subway fares, parking meter prices, you've got congestion pricing on the horizon, and not to mention the budget cuts you say are necessary over the next few months, living in New York City is challenging at best. What meaningful changes are you making to address the lack of affordability?"
"The rent is too damn high," Adams said.
He said his job is to find ways to put money back into the pockets of everyday New Yorkers. As part of that effort, the mayor said the city settled 100% of "our uniformed contracts" and over 90% of "our civil service contracts."
"We look at everything from Fair Futures, to reduced-fair MetroCards," Adams said.
Mayor on concerns in NYC over crisis in the Mideast
Bill: "Lots of people are worried not just about quality-of-life, but about the state of the world. New York is a melting pot of diversity, where most people make a silent pledge that we're all neighbors no matter our beliefs, religion or where we come from. The protests over the Mideast have been peaceful. How worried are you about lone wolf outsiders coming in?"
Adams said that the city has seen 120 different protests and rallies since October 7. The mayor said the most alarming factor is social media, which can be a tool for radicalism.
While he praised the NYPD and the intel division, the mayor stressed that the city needs everyday New Yorkers to "say something and do something," if they see something.
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