Mayor Eric Adams appeared on FOX 5’s “The 6 O’Clock News,” addressing federal investigations into his administration and the recent drop in overall crime rates. He reassured New Yorkers that his focus remains on the city’s progress despite the ongoing scrutiny. Adams also tackled the contentious migrant crisis, defending a plan to offer exit stipends to alleviate the shelter burden. Additionally, he expressed cautious consideration regarding a proposed cell phone ban in schools, aiming to balance safety with effective communication.
September 5, 2024 Transcript: Mayor Adams Appears Live on FOX 5’s “The 6 O’Clock News”
Natasha Verma: And joining us right now to answer questions about this is Mayor Eric Adams.
Bianca Peters: That’s right. Mayor Adams, thanks so much for joining us.
Mayor Eric Adams: Thank you. Good to be on with you.
Verma: As you heard a lot of information there that Morgan reported, we’re seeing the FBI raided the homes of multiple top officials who work in your administration and are reportedly requesting more search warrants for others. Can you confirm that the NYPD commissioner had his home rated as well? And have you spoken to him?
Mayor Adams: I think that it is important to reach out to the agency that is conducting this review. And that’s the U.S. Attorney’s Office. I have been clear that my message throughout my public life is to follow the law. And that’s what we’re doing. We’re gonna comply with whatever inquiry and whatever we have to submit while this review takes place.
Verma: We understand that, but now you’ve seen federal agents search the properties of five of your top allies. I mean, what do you tell New Yorkers who say you may seem distracted? How can you convince New Yorkers that you’re not?
Mayor Adams: I just opened school today where a million school children return and we continue to see the success throughout this administration. And remember, this was taking place for a 10 month period. And we continue to see everything from record jobs to decrease in crime. You’ve heard me and everyone has heard me from time to time: stay focused, no distraction and grind. My job is to make sure I’m fighting on behalf of New Yorkers. And that’s exactly what I’m doing.
Peters: Absolutely. But it’s not just one. This is multiple people that you have appointed to high positions in city government and given them this power. So people look at it with two different options here. Either where there’s smoke, there’s fire and indictments are gonna follow or two, this is totally baseless and the criminal justice system is being weaponized against you. So which one do you think it could be?
Mayor Adams: Well, I’ve received a number of calls and messages from everyday New Yorkers. And they say, Eric, hang in there. We’re praying for you. We know how committed you are to this city. Keep doing the job that you’re doing. And let me tell you something. I would love to engage in a good conversation around this, but it would just be irresponsible for me. As a former law enforcement person, I know allow the reviews to take their course and that is what I’m doing.
Verma: Let’s talk about crime. The NYPD is reporting that overall crime was down in August for the eighth straight month, but we are seeing some high profile crimes, just to name a few. The deadly shooting over the weekend at the West Indian Day Parade. There was a deadly subway shooting in Brooklyn overnight. You mentioned the first day of school. I mean, even a teacher in the Bronx was shot in the hand while she was in the classroom. I know that you throw these stats out, but how do you convince New Yorkers that they are being kept safe?
Mayor Adams: Well, I’m a strong believer and I agree with you. It’s not only about the stats, it’s how people feel. And when you look at the West Indian Day weekend and J’Ouvert, you saw police officers, community groups, crisis management team, you saw an amazing response. We had one person, one idiot with a gun that shot five people. I walked down that parkway and I saw how people were enjoying themselves without any violence. Hats off to everyone who was involved. Hundreds of thousands of people were out there and this is the safest big city in America and we’re gonna continue to drive down crime.
Peters: When you talk about hats off, we do have to give our hats off to the men and women in blue because those crime stats for August of 2023 compared to ’22, they’re down drastically and dramatically. And it’s surprising to note that because New York has the lowest growth rate in police force by negative 23 percent. How are you doing what you’re doing when there’s no growth in getting people to put on the badge?
Mayor Adams: Listen, let me tell you, those men and women, it’s different from my days when I was a police officer when we wanted to do a great deal of overtime. These young people wanna be home with their families and it is challenging when you have such a small amount. We’ve learned to deploy our police personnel better than we’ve done in the past. Anyone that has attended a parade route, we’re used to seeing a large number of officers lined up on the route. We’re using smart, strategic ways of removing guns off our streets and keeping people safe at the same time.
Verma: Yeah, but I guess the question we’re asking you is not a lot of officers are signing up for the force. Last time you came on our show, you talked about how you’re having trouble recruiting officers. I understand that you agree with us that that’s a problem, but what are you doing to get more officers signed up on the force?
Mayor Adams: Well, it’s a combination. We are rolling out an amazing ad campaign that’s going to zero in on officers. We have started carrying out what’s called our hiring halls where the police officers are there. But one of the best recruiters we find is another police officer, a family member, someone that has retired. And it’s about our preachers, our Catholic leaders, our rabbis, everyone, imams, being engaged because we’re having a criminal justice problem nationally. Not only New York City, nationally there’s a decrease in those criminal justice positions. And we’re doing a great job of going out and reaching our young people to come in and join the force.
Peters: Let’s talk about the migrant issue because there has been some stuff in the news lately, which is kind of shocking to some viewers that we’re going to be offering migrant families up to $4,000 to exit the city shelter system. What do you say to New Yorkers who say that that’s too much money? We can’t even afford to put ourselves in housing.
Mayor Adams: Think about it for a moment. That was the same analysis that people gave us when we were giving out the food cards that was saving us millions of dollars in a year by instead of having a high, large company come and charge us and food waste, editorial pages started looking at it and saying it’s a great decision on the part of the administration. It was a smart thing to do. That’s the same thing here. Do we rather have someone stay in our shelter system where you’re paying almost three, four times the amount over the year instead of saying, here’s a $4,000 stipend, go out, find yourself a place?
Peters: But mayor, just to interrupt real fast, but you could just nip all of this in the butt if you looked at the law, which is on the books as the right to shelter being an umbrella term, which applies to these migrants. I know you said that you don’t agree with that. So why not fix it there?
Mayor Adams: No, and that’s the real confusing part about it. The migrants and asylum seekers issue has nothing to do with right to shelter. It has nothing to do with it. Right to shelter is anyone that comes to this city and needs shelter has a right to receive shelter. I don’t change the law of right to shelter. The City Council must do that. But migrants and asylum seekers are paroled into the country. They’re paroled in and they’re here legally. And it is the responsibility of the federal government to not say New York City must pick up the price tag for it.
Verma: Before we go, we do want to ask you about schools. I mean, in light of this terrible Georgia school shooting, the tragedy there, you know, there are reports that the students were texting their parents to tell them they were safe. I mean, oftentimes parents, that’s the only way that they can get ahold of their kids in class. And I mean, school shootings, unfortunately, has become a reality, a norm in our lives today, in our society today. So all of this, does it change your stance on the proposed cell phone ban for students here in New York?
Mayor Adams: Well, I think you just pointed out something, how parents really are concerned about being able to reach their children and for those children to be able to notify them when there’s a tragedy that’s taking place and unfolding in the school building. That’s why I’m taking my time and making sure we can get it right. I’m not going to rush into this. I believe a ban should be in place because it’s a great distractor and it causes other problems, but I’m not going to rush into this because a lot of people are saying do it right away. We’re going to get it right and we’re going to make sure children are safe and we’re going to have mechanisms to be able to communicate with parents.
Peters: The only thing we’d like you to rush into is coming and joining us in studio, which you promised you were going to do last time and we’re over Zoom so we’re going to hold it to you next time this is happening in person.
Mayor Adams: Next time I’m in the studio with you enjoying myself. Just let me make sure I have a cup, one of the FOX 5 cups.
Verma: Absolutely, we’ll get you one. That’s a done deal. All right, Mr. Mayor, thank you so much.
Mayor Adams: Thank you, take care.
September 5, 2024 New York NY
Sources: Midtown Tribune news , NYC.gov
Big New York news BigNY.com
