As Adams Faces Barrage of Scandal Inquiries, Main Rival Chooses Unexciting Ground
The mayor conducted his inaugural press conference following the resignation of his chief city attorney over the weekend.
TroibNews 
NEW YORK — Amid a flurry of controversies surrounding Mayor Eric Adams, his primary opponent in the upcoming reelection bid, City Comptroller Brad Lander, steered the conversation towards procurement reform, an arguably less sensational but critical issue.
“This is a moment of crisis, and we should use that moment to make real changes,” said Lander, articulating his concern over the turmoil unfolding in City Hall, directly across from his office.
The mood was tense as Adams addressed the mounting pressure to dismiss his aide, Tim Pearson, who is embroiled in allegations of sexual harassment, assault, and was recently scrutinized by federal investigators. Throughout the discourse at City Hall, Adams remained steadfast in his support for Pearson, brushing aside inquiries about the federal probes that led to significant resignations within his team.
“Every mayor I have communicated with says there are moments of crisis in an administration,” Adams mentioned during his press briefing. “I can manage no matter what we are facing. Because I have one mission. My north star is improving the city that I love.”
Nevertheless, Adams displayed clear frustration towards Lander's ongoing criticism.
“He said that yesterday, or Jan. 3, 2022? Because he’s been saying that just about every other day since we’ve been in office," Adams remarked, highlighting a perceived redundancy in Lander's critique. “You lose the credibility of your message when your message doesn’t change no matter what the state is.”
The recency of raids and investigations into Adams' close aides lends some weight to Lander's concerns. Amidst these developments, Adams was ambiguous about the resignation of his chief counsel and the future of Pearson within his administration.
“I’m just a strong believer that let the process take its course,” Adams reiterated.
Adams also noted Pearson's role in generating significant savings for the city through contract analysis, despite sidestepping discussions about ongoing federal investigations.
“I’m not going to have a advisory of what I’m classified in,” he stated. “The investigation will take its course. It would be inappropriate for me to talk about an investigation.”
Despite the controversies, Adams emphasized his focus on governance, referencing his administration's achievements since the FBI's seizure of his phones ten months ago.
In contrast, Lander announced a new transparency initiative aimed at reforming the city's procurement processes, amid suspicions of improper city contract awarding practices.
“It’s already illegal to have an unregistered lobbying agency lobbying the agency led by your brother, but there are many areas where our practices, like not registering with subcontractors, have created gaping holes through which corruption seeps,” Lander explained.
While Lander withheld from demanding Adams' resignation, he promised decisive action against corruption if elected.
He also recalled Adams' early promises of administration transparency, noting the shortfall in their realization.
“You could find a lot of places where he said, at the beginning of the administration, ‘This is going to be the most transparent administration in history,’” Lander observed. “Very, very little of that has come to fruition.”
Mathilde Moreau for TROIB News
“This is a moment of crisis, and we should use that moment to make real changes,” said Lander, articulating his concern over the turmoil unfolding in City Hall, directly across from his office.
The mood was tense as Adams addressed the mounting pressure to dismiss his aide, Tim Pearson, who is embroiled in allegations of sexual harassment, assault, and was recently scrutinized by federal investigators. Throughout the discourse at City Hall, Adams remained steadfast in his support for Pearson, brushing aside inquiries about the federal probes that led to significant resignations within his team.
“Every mayor I have communicated with says there are moments of crisis in an administration,” Adams mentioned during his press briefing. “I can manage no matter what we are facing. Because I have one mission. My north star is improving the city that I love.”
Nevertheless, Adams displayed clear frustration towards Lander's ongoing criticism.
“He said that yesterday, or Jan. 3, 2022? Because he’s been saying that just about every other day since we’ve been in office," Adams remarked, highlighting a perceived redundancy in Lander's critique. “You lose the credibility of your message when your message doesn’t change no matter what the state is.”
The recency of raids and investigations into Adams' close aides lends some weight to Lander's concerns. Amidst these developments, Adams was ambiguous about the resignation of his chief counsel and the future of Pearson within his administration.
“I’m just a strong believer that let the process take its course,” Adams reiterated.
Adams also noted Pearson's role in generating significant savings for the city through contract analysis, despite sidestepping discussions about ongoing federal investigations.
“I’m not going to have a advisory of what I’m classified in,” he stated. “The investigation will take its course. It would be inappropriate for me to talk about an investigation.”
Despite the controversies, Adams emphasized his focus on governance, referencing his administration's achievements since the FBI's seizure of his phones ten months ago.
In contrast, Lander announced a new transparency initiative aimed at reforming the city's procurement processes, amid suspicions of improper city contract awarding practices.
“It’s already illegal to have an unregistered lobbying agency lobbying the agency led by your brother, but there are many areas where our practices, like not registering with subcontractors, have created gaping holes through which corruption seeps,” Lander explained.
While Lander withheld from demanding Adams' resignation, he promised decisive action against corruption if elected.
He also recalled Adams' early promises of administration transparency, noting the shortfall in their realization.
“You could find a lot of places where he said, at the beginning of the administration, ‘This is going to be the most transparent administration in history,’” Lander observed. “Very, very little of that has come to fruition.”
Mathilde Moreau for TROIB News
