Democrats Criticize Eric Adams During Capitol Hill Meeting
The New York mayor encountered criticism from both left-leaning and centrist groups, while receiving commendation from Republican supporters.
TroibNews 
The four prominent mayors from major cities who testified on Capitol Hill Wednesday were aware that House Republicans had summoned them for a contentious confrontation. However, for New York’s Eric Adams, the toughest critiques came from fellow Democrats.
While GOP lawmakers mainly shielded Adams from the brunt of their theatrical assaults on sanctuary cities, they notably defended him against the Democratic barrage, which included sharp questions from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, another New Yorker. At one point, Oversight Committee Chair James Comer even labeled Adams “an outstanding mayor.”
This encounter showcased a significant shift in Adams' political landscape; over the past four years, he has transitioned from being regarded as the “Biden of Brooklyn” and a “new face of the Democratic Party” to an unexpected ally of former President Donald Trump.
At the heart of the Democratic critiques on Wednesday was the Trump Justice Department’s recent decision to drop a corruption case against Adams, marking a pivotal moment that prompted the scrutiny at the televised hearing.
The session began with Rep. Gerry Connolly from Virginia, the committee’s senior Democrat, bringing up Adams’ federal case and his alleged ties to Trump. Tensions escalated as other Democrats pressed the mayor more aggressively regarding potential trades he made with federal immigration officials for leniency in his legal situation.
Rep. Robert Garcia of California pointedly asked Adams, “Are you selling out New Yorkers to save yourself from prosecution?” Later, Ocasio-Cortez directed a series of questions at Adams about whether he altered municipal policies to appease Trump, describing the decision to drop his prosecution as a “four-alarm fire” for the rule of law.
In response to these implications, Adams asserted, “There’s no deal, no quid pro quo, and I did nothing wrong,” reiterating his stance against accusations of an illicit arrangement with Trump’s immigration chief, Tom Homan, regarding federal agents’ access to city jails.
This dynamic contrasted sharply with the other three Democratic mayors—Denver’s Mike Johnston, Chicago’s Brandon Johnson, and Boston’s Michelle Wu—who were present and faced intense questions from House Republicans eager for a standout moment.
Unlike his counterparts, who often took an assertive and combative approach, Adams adhered to a strategy of providing clear and concise responses, earning him considerable praise from Republicans. Rep. Gary Palmer stated, “Mayor Adams is being attacked because he’s agreed to cooperate with federal officials to uphold the laws of the United States.”
Rep. William Timmons linked Adams’ legal troubles to his criticism of the previous administration, remarking, “The only one of you who stood up to the previous administration was under investigation shortly thereafter. Weird how that happens.” Comer appreciated Adams for his collaboration with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), saying, “I want to publicly thank you for that.”
However, the interchange was laced with tension, particularly when freshman Rep. Suhas Subramanyam questioned whether Adams had ever discussed his criminal case with Trump. After a moment of consultation with an attorney, Adams replied, “This case is in front of Judge Ho, and out of deference to Judge Ho, I'm not going to discuss this case,” referencing U.S. District Judge Dale Ho, who is currently considering whether to dismiss the charges as per the Justice Department's request.
Subramanyam eventually shifted his line of inquiry, suggesting, “Mayor Adams is not answering the question because he probably has” discussed his case with the White House.
Rep. Laura Gillen, from Long Island, attacked Adams with similar zeal, going so far as to call for his resignation, which prompted Adams to snap back, “Thank God you don’t live in New York City.”
Conversely, the overt support from congressional Republicans complicates Adams’ political future as he navigates a challenging path to reelection amidst a criminal case and the specter of Trump’s immigration policies over the nation’s largest sanctuary city. The atmosphere among Democrats was equally unyielding; Garcia came armed with posters of former U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon’s resignation letter, which condemned the decision to dismiss charges against Adams along with a poster of Homan praising him in a Fox News interview.
Homan himself weighed in from a distance, stating on X that Adams was “trying to protect New Yorkers from violent illegal aliens” as he viewed the proceedings.
Throughout the hearing, Adams occasionally appeared disengaged. When Connolly launched into his critiques at the start, Adams looked away before tuning back in and sipping his tea. When other Democrats pressed him for responses, he flipped through briefings while defending his stance.
In his opening statement, Adams leaned on his background in law enforcement and aimed to counter the narrative that his stance on immigration and crime had shifted since Trump’s second term. He affirmed to reporters before the hearing, “Three things stay on my mind all the time: public safety, public safety, public safety. We have to have a safe city.”
James del Carmen for TROIB News
While GOP lawmakers mainly shielded Adams from the brunt of their theatrical assaults on sanctuary cities, they notably defended him against the Democratic barrage, which included sharp questions from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, another New Yorker. At one point, Oversight Committee Chair James Comer even labeled Adams “an outstanding mayor.”
This encounter showcased a significant shift in Adams' political landscape; over the past four years, he has transitioned from being regarded as the “Biden of Brooklyn” and a “new face of the Democratic Party” to an unexpected ally of former President Donald Trump.
At the heart of the Democratic critiques on Wednesday was the Trump Justice Department’s recent decision to drop a corruption case against Adams, marking a pivotal moment that prompted the scrutiny at the televised hearing.
The session began with Rep. Gerry Connolly from Virginia, the committee’s senior Democrat, bringing up Adams’ federal case and his alleged ties to Trump. Tensions escalated as other Democrats pressed the mayor more aggressively regarding potential trades he made with federal immigration officials for leniency in his legal situation.
Rep. Robert Garcia of California pointedly asked Adams, “Are you selling out New Yorkers to save yourself from prosecution?” Later, Ocasio-Cortez directed a series of questions at Adams about whether he altered municipal policies to appease Trump, describing the decision to drop his prosecution as a “four-alarm fire” for the rule of law.
In response to these implications, Adams asserted, “There’s no deal, no quid pro quo, and I did nothing wrong,” reiterating his stance against accusations of an illicit arrangement with Trump’s immigration chief, Tom Homan, regarding federal agents’ access to city jails.
This dynamic contrasted sharply with the other three Democratic mayors—Denver’s Mike Johnston, Chicago’s Brandon Johnson, and Boston’s Michelle Wu—who were present and faced intense questions from House Republicans eager for a standout moment.
Unlike his counterparts, who often took an assertive and combative approach, Adams adhered to a strategy of providing clear and concise responses, earning him considerable praise from Republicans. Rep. Gary Palmer stated, “Mayor Adams is being attacked because he’s agreed to cooperate with federal officials to uphold the laws of the United States.”
Rep. William Timmons linked Adams’ legal troubles to his criticism of the previous administration, remarking, “The only one of you who stood up to the previous administration was under investigation shortly thereafter. Weird how that happens.” Comer appreciated Adams for his collaboration with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), saying, “I want to publicly thank you for that.”
However, the interchange was laced with tension, particularly when freshman Rep. Suhas Subramanyam questioned whether Adams had ever discussed his criminal case with Trump. After a moment of consultation with an attorney, Adams replied, “This case is in front of Judge Ho, and out of deference to Judge Ho, I'm not going to discuss this case,” referencing U.S. District Judge Dale Ho, who is currently considering whether to dismiss the charges as per the Justice Department's request.
Subramanyam eventually shifted his line of inquiry, suggesting, “Mayor Adams is not answering the question because he probably has” discussed his case with the White House.
Rep. Laura Gillen, from Long Island, attacked Adams with similar zeal, going so far as to call for his resignation, which prompted Adams to snap back, “Thank God you don’t live in New York City.”
Conversely, the overt support from congressional Republicans complicates Adams’ political future as he navigates a challenging path to reelection amidst a criminal case and the specter of Trump’s immigration policies over the nation’s largest sanctuary city. The atmosphere among Democrats was equally unyielding; Garcia came armed with posters of former U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon’s resignation letter, which condemned the decision to dismiss charges against Adams along with a poster of Homan praising him in a Fox News interview.
Homan himself weighed in from a distance, stating on X that Adams was “trying to protect New Yorkers from violent illegal aliens” as he viewed the proceedings.
Throughout the hearing, Adams occasionally appeared disengaged. When Connolly launched into his critiques at the start, Adams looked away before tuning back in and sipping his tea. When other Democrats pressed him for responses, he flipped through briefings while defending his stance.
In his opening statement, Adams leaned on his background in law enforcement and aimed to counter the narrative that his stance on immigration and crime had shifted since Trump’s second term. He affirmed to reporters before the hearing, “Three things stay on my mind all the time: public safety, public safety, public safety. We have to have a safe city.”
James del Carmen for TROIB News
