Problems with New York's Mayors: What's Going On?
Eric Adams has become the latest mayor of New York City to experience a downfall.
TroibNews 
Late Wednesday night, Eric Adams made history as the first sitting mayor of New York City to be indicted.
The unsealing of the 57-page indictment on Thursday revealed numerous allegations primarily concerning Adams’ ties to Turkish officials. He is accused of accepting illegal donations to his mayoral campaign and receiving extravagant gifts, including regular complimentary travel on Turkish Airways. Part of the indictment contains Adams’ assertion that his “first stop is always instanbul [sic]” while traveling, attributed to the favorable treatment he received from the country.
During a press conference on Thursday, which was held outdoors and frequently disrupted by hecklers, Adams dismissed any notion of resignation, claiming instead that the allegations against him are based on falsehoods and are politically motivated. His remarks echoed those of other recently indicted politicians, including Donald Trump and Bob Menendez. “I always knew that If I stood my ground for New Yorkers, that I would be a target — and a target I became,” he stated.
While Adams has the dubious distinction of being New York’s first mayor to face indictment while in office, his immediate predecessors haven't exactly left a positive legacy. Bill de Blasio has participated in two ill-fated primary campaigns since leaving office—for president and a House seat—and even announced his separation from his wife through a glossy photoshoot in the New York Times. Michael Bloomberg, in a bid for the presidency, squandered hundreds of millions of dollars in a short span. Rudy Giuliani, a former presidential candidate, faced embarrassment in a Borat film, organized an infamous press conference at Four Seasons Total Landscaping, and was disbarred in Washington, D.C., on Thursday.
What drives the pattern of failure among New York City mayors, both during and after their tenure? To explore the complexities of this situation, Nightly spoke with Vincent Cannato, a professor specializing in New York City history and author of *The Ungovernable City: John Lindsay and his Struggle to Save New York*.
This discussion has been edited.
What is it about this job that seems to invite corruption?
Part of it is the nature of local politics, where the mayor is much closer to contracts, inspections, and law enforcement, where much of the corruption tends to originate. Additionally, many of Adams’ advisers are his very close friends, which creates a lack of distance between him and his top aides. When you have a city as large as New York, there are significantly more opportunities for wrongdoing compared to smaller cities like Schenectady or Utica.
Initially, Adams was often regarded as a potential national Democratic star, someone who could balance some of the more progressive elements within the party.
Much of the commentary surrounding Adams during the last election was influenced by wishful thinking. People envisioned him as a moderate former cop not aligned with the progressive wing of the Democratic Party. However, there wasn’t substantial evidence to support this portrayal. While he’s not a far-left figure, he is also not particularly ideological. What we’re seeing now reveals the truth about his motivations for becoming mayor.
How significant are local issues in New York in a national context, and how do New York mayors balance local and national concerns?
New York mayors certainly don’t solely focus on local issues; they also pay attention to national and international developments. Over the past 20 or 30 years, there has been a trend toward the nationalization of politics. Both de Blasio and Adams have paid more attention to national affairs, albeit in different ways.
Yet, generally, the mayor of New York has seldom been a solely local figure. Although their primary work focuses on city issues, most mayors have maintained a broader national profile. Ultimately, a good mayor should primarily concentrate on local matters.
When was the last time New York City had a truly local-focused mayor?
In many ways, David Dinkins was the most recent mayor to fit that description. Vincent Impellitteri served as a somewhat accidental mayor, and Abe Beame can also be categorized this way. I don't mean to use "parochial" negatively.
That's a surprisingly short list. Why do you think this is? What contributes to New York mayors using their position as a springboard for national political careers?
As mayor of eight million people, you represent more constituents than many senators and governors. This larger stage naturally attracts individuals who envision themselves as significant political figures. However, the history of New York mayors moving on to higher office is rather poor, which doesn’t deter them from trying. That said, I’m not convinced Adams has any national political aspirations.
Why is it so challenging for New Yorkers to find a mayor they appreciate?
Broadly speaking, mayors have struggled with popularity since the end of Bloomberg’s tenure, including de Blasio and now Adams.
New York City has undergone significant change over the last few decades. Historically, the city politics were largely dominated by the Democratic Party and Tammany Hall until the 1960s. The 1970s and 1980s witnessed the end of the Democratic machine, giving way to reformist and business elements that capitalized on the mistakes and corruption of the Democrats.
While there was a dynamic back and forth throughout the 20th century, this pattern has broken down. Today, there is no strong Democratic machine, although the city remains predominantly Democratic. The absence of a robust party structure and the disengagement of business interests from city politics contribute to the instability we see in leadership today.
What does the future hold for Adams? How would the political landscape shift if he were to resign or when the next mayoral election occurs?
There aren’t many wealthy contributors or party leaders who might push for Adams’ resignation, making that scenario unlikely. Furthermore, with Trump and Menendez also facing indictments, the prevailing strategy seems to encourage fighting back. I suspect Adams will adopt a similar approach.
I doubt he will have a viable candidacy for reelection, although he may attempt to run. This would lead to a scramble involving Andrew Cuomo and perhaps Brad Lander or whoever emerges to represent the left.
Do you see Cuomo as the most likely candidate for that centrist position we’ve discussed?
I don’t see many other high-profile figures in the city who could fill that role. Most active politicians lean more toward the progressive left. A figure like Cuomo, despite his flaws, would occupy a relatively open lane in the center.
Essentially, we’d witness another political figure in New York attempting to rebuild their career amidst another New York politician’s scandal.
I suspect that if you spoke to Andrew, he might express regret for having stepped down instead of fighting harder. If Adams reflects on the situation, he might think that Cuomo should have fought for his position as well.
Adams’ principal challenge, seen from a distance, is that he has not been particularly engaged with city governance. While he enjoys the role of mayor, he appears to have delegated city operations to a close circle of friends, lacking the depth of talent in his administration when compared to de Blasio’s leadership.
This article first appeared in PMG Nightly.
Allen M Lee contributed to this report for TROIB News
The unsealing of the 57-page indictment on Thursday revealed numerous allegations primarily concerning Adams’ ties to Turkish officials. He is accused of accepting illegal donations to his mayoral campaign and receiving extravagant gifts, including regular complimentary travel on Turkish Airways. Part of the indictment contains Adams’ assertion that his “first stop is always instanbul [sic]” while traveling, attributed to the favorable treatment he received from the country.
During a press conference on Thursday, which was held outdoors and frequently disrupted by hecklers, Adams dismissed any notion of resignation, claiming instead that the allegations against him are based on falsehoods and are politically motivated. His remarks echoed those of other recently indicted politicians, including Donald Trump and Bob Menendez. “I always knew that If I stood my ground for New Yorkers, that I would be a target — and a target I became,” he stated.
While Adams has the dubious distinction of being New York’s first mayor to face indictment while in office, his immediate predecessors haven't exactly left a positive legacy. Bill de Blasio has participated in two ill-fated primary campaigns since leaving office—for president and a House seat—and even announced his separation from his wife through a glossy photoshoot in the New York Times. Michael Bloomberg, in a bid for the presidency, squandered hundreds of millions of dollars in a short span. Rudy Giuliani, a former presidential candidate, faced embarrassment in a Borat film, organized an infamous press conference at Four Seasons Total Landscaping, and was disbarred in Washington, D.C., on Thursday.
What drives the pattern of failure among New York City mayors, both during and after their tenure? To explore the complexities of this situation, Nightly spoke with Vincent Cannato, a professor specializing in New York City history and author of *The Ungovernable City: John Lindsay and his Struggle to Save New York*.
This discussion has been edited.
What is it about this job that seems to invite corruption?
Part of it is the nature of local politics, where the mayor is much closer to contracts, inspections, and law enforcement, where much of the corruption tends to originate. Additionally, many of Adams’ advisers are his very close friends, which creates a lack of distance between him and his top aides. When you have a city as large as New York, there are significantly more opportunities for wrongdoing compared to smaller cities like Schenectady or Utica.
Initially, Adams was often regarded as a potential national Democratic star, someone who could balance some of the more progressive elements within the party.
Much of the commentary surrounding Adams during the last election was influenced by wishful thinking. People envisioned him as a moderate former cop not aligned with the progressive wing of the Democratic Party. However, there wasn’t substantial evidence to support this portrayal. While he’s not a far-left figure, he is also not particularly ideological. What we’re seeing now reveals the truth about his motivations for becoming mayor.
How significant are local issues in New York in a national context, and how do New York mayors balance local and national concerns?
New York mayors certainly don’t solely focus on local issues; they also pay attention to national and international developments. Over the past 20 or 30 years, there has been a trend toward the nationalization of politics. Both de Blasio and Adams have paid more attention to national affairs, albeit in different ways.
Yet, generally, the mayor of New York has seldom been a solely local figure. Although their primary work focuses on city issues, most mayors have maintained a broader national profile. Ultimately, a good mayor should primarily concentrate on local matters.
When was the last time New York City had a truly local-focused mayor?
In many ways, David Dinkins was the most recent mayor to fit that description. Vincent Impellitteri served as a somewhat accidental mayor, and Abe Beame can also be categorized this way. I don't mean to use "parochial" negatively.
That's a surprisingly short list. Why do you think this is? What contributes to New York mayors using their position as a springboard for national political careers?
As mayor of eight million people, you represent more constituents than many senators and governors. This larger stage naturally attracts individuals who envision themselves as significant political figures. However, the history of New York mayors moving on to higher office is rather poor, which doesn’t deter them from trying. That said, I’m not convinced Adams has any national political aspirations.
Why is it so challenging for New Yorkers to find a mayor they appreciate?
Broadly speaking, mayors have struggled with popularity since the end of Bloomberg’s tenure, including de Blasio and now Adams.
New York City has undergone significant change over the last few decades. Historically, the city politics were largely dominated by the Democratic Party and Tammany Hall until the 1960s. The 1970s and 1980s witnessed the end of the Democratic machine, giving way to reformist and business elements that capitalized on the mistakes and corruption of the Democrats.
While there was a dynamic back and forth throughout the 20th century, this pattern has broken down. Today, there is no strong Democratic machine, although the city remains predominantly Democratic. The absence of a robust party structure and the disengagement of business interests from city politics contribute to the instability we see in leadership today.
What does the future hold for Adams? How would the political landscape shift if he were to resign or when the next mayoral election occurs?
There aren’t many wealthy contributors or party leaders who might push for Adams’ resignation, making that scenario unlikely. Furthermore, with Trump and Menendez also facing indictments, the prevailing strategy seems to encourage fighting back. I suspect Adams will adopt a similar approach.
I doubt he will have a viable candidacy for reelection, although he may attempt to run. This would lead to a scramble involving Andrew Cuomo and perhaps Brad Lander or whoever emerges to represent the left.
Do you see Cuomo as the most likely candidate for that centrist position we’ve discussed?
I don’t see many other high-profile figures in the city who could fill that role. Most active politicians lean more toward the progressive left. A figure like Cuomo, despite his flaws, would occupy a relatively open lane in the center.
Essentially, we’d witness another political figure in New York attempting to rebuild their career amidst another New York politician’s scandal.
I suspect that if you spoke to Andrew, he might express regret for having stepped down instead of fighting harder. If Adams reflects on the situation, he might think that Cuomo should have fought for his position as well.
Adams’ principal challenge, seen from a distance, is that he has not been particularly engaged with city governance. While he enjoys the role of mayor, he appears to have delegated city operations to a close circle of friends, lacking the depth of talent in his administration when compared to de Blasio’s leadership.
This article first appeared in PMG Nightly.
Allen M Lee contributed to this report for TROIB News
