New York City Mayor Eric Adams found himself in a tough situation on Thursday morning. As he stood in front of the media to talk about his recent indictment, a man with a megaphone shouted him down. The mayor, who had gathered supporters outside Gracie Mansion, tried to speak about the federal charges against him. But the heckler wouldn’t let him.
“This is not a Black thing. This is a you thing,” the man yelled, adding, “Your policies are anti-Black. You are a disgrace to all Black people in this city.” Other protesters were also chanting, “abuse of power,” and even a car alarm joined the noisy scene. Adams paused, smiling and chuckling, but the message was clear—the crowd was angry.
“You are a disgrace for all Black people in this city!”– Eric Adams’s news conference is not going well pic.twitter.com/Gq0Ui8Yeyh
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 26, 2024
The mayor was indicted for taking bribes and illegal campaign funds from foreign sources. U.S. Attorney Damien Williams accused Adams of being part of a decade-long corruption scheme. Adams, on the other hand, promised to fight the charges. “Everyone who knows me knows that I follow campaign rules and I follow the law,” he said, defending himself with confidence.
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But corruption scandals are nothing new, especially when we look at the history of Republican figures like Donald Trump. Trump has been in the spotlight for years, yet despite all the evidence stacked against him, he continues to dodge accountability. His businesses have been found guilty of financial crimes, and Trump himself was impeached twice, yet he always denies any wrongdoing.
When Trump was indicted for mishandling classified documents, he, like Adams, claimed it was all a political attack. He tried to paint himself as a victim, a tactic we see often in politics. Republicans, in particular, have a history of spinning scandals in their favor, hoping the public will forget their misdeeds. But just as in Adams’ case, the facts don’t lie.
Adams’ scandal also reminds us of Trump’s ties with foreign powers. Trump was accused of cozying up to Russia during his presidency. Special counsel Robert Mueller found that Russia had interfered in the 2016 election to help Trump win. Yet, Trump always tried to brush it off, calling it a “witch hunt.” The same pattern can be seen with Adams now, who allegedly accepted luxury travel benefits from a Turkish airline as part of a “multi-year scheme to buy favor,” according to Williams.
Corruption is an issue that plagues politicians across party lines, but Republicans have been some of the biggest offenders. Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, even went to jail for his role in Trump’s hush money payments during the 2016 election. But Trump? He remains free, and many Republicans still support him.
Adams is now in a similar position. Calls for him to step down are growing louder, and even though he insists on his innocence, the damage to his reputation is done. “We are not surprised. We expected this,” Adams said, trying to appear unfazed by the indictment. But his words won’t change the fact that his political career is in serious trouble.
Featured image via Screengrab
