NEWYORK: New York city Mayor Eric Adams said that he did not know as to why top members of his administration houses were raided and why their phones were seized by the investigators but expressed confidence on top officials of administration.
Appearing on PIX’s 11 “PIX on Politics”, Mayor Adams said that the southern district that’s conducting this review, they can answer those questions.
“But what I must do, as I’ve always done as a former law enforcement officer, is follow the rules, follow the law, and anything we can do to assist, we’re doing,” he said.
Replying to a question as whether he have full confidence in all of them that they can continue in their roles with this swirling around, Mayor Adams said that he do.
“Anyone that would tell you when you are the mayor or the top staff or the top team, there’s always things happening in the city, and they know we have to continue to deliver for New Yorkers. And we’ve done that, since nine months ago, when we first heard of the Turkish investigation. We continue to produce over and over again, and that’s what we have to do,” he said.
To a question about school chancellor David Bank who was supposed to answer some important questions from parents but he cancelled due to investigation, Mayor Adams said that a million students, 40,000 homeless, and the largest of them are migrants and asylum seeker children, went into our school system.
“We have one of the smoothest operations on the first day of school. I was out there with him, and he had to make sure that every one of those schools opened and his team was able to execute. And so David is a class one act when it comes down to running our school system, and I’m happy that he’s there,” he said.
Mayor Adams said that David had to make sure the school system was open and there’d be other times for him to come in and do an interview.
“First day of school, he should be focused on getting those children, the buses running on time, doing the job. And there are many times that he’ll be here to answer questions. He answers questions to families all the time. He’s one of the most successful chancellors that we’ve ever seen,” he said.
To a question about Police Commissioner Caban as whether he should step aside or resign, Mayor Adams said that Commissioner Caban has driven down crime in our subway system.
“You take the two years out of COVID, it’s the lowest in 14 years. August, which is normally a hot month for shootings, we had the lowest number of shootings in recorded history of our city. What he’s doing, even when you look at J’Ouvert, which is a normally violent event, he was able to execute the right plan. Commissioner Caban could continue to do his job. And being the commissioner or the mayor or the chancellor of this city, you better be prepared for all the incomings that could happen. It is part of the job,” he said.
To a question about deputy mayor Sheena Wright, Mayor Adams said she was working remotely.
Mayor Adams said that he always say no distractions, stay focused, and grind.
“Look at what we’ve done from nine months ago. Nine months ago, when we first heard about [an] investigation, our job numbers are through the roof. Safety continues to be shown in the city. Our subway system is safe and opening our schools, stopping the hemorrhaging, over $600 million in the gaps in our educational program,” he said.
“You look across the board and you’re seeing that a mayor is not going to be distracted. I’m going to deliver for New Yorkers, and that’s what I was told to do. Now Dan, let me tell you something. I would love to answer every question that’s possible. Trust me, no one likes to sit back and not being able to answer questions, but you have to allow the process to take its course,” he said.
To another question about migrants crime, Mayor Adams said that they are not allowed to report and keep stats based on migrants’ crime, non-migrant crime, based on a person’s status.
“We’re not allowed to do that, of my understanding. And what we try to do is look at the particular areas. And if we see patterns, particularly gang behavior, one of these dangerous gangs that are part of the migrants and asylum seeker population. But let’s be clear, the overwhelming number of migrants and asylum seekers, they’re here to pursue the American dream,” he said.
On question about cell phone ban in schools, Mayor Adams said that we want to get it right. “We’re looking at the best practices in those schools who are already doing it and we’re looking at how we can modify that so we can get it right.”
Mayor Adams said that they want to spend an extensive amount of time looking at those hundreds of schools that’s already doing it.
“We want to get feedback from children, feedback from parents, and this way we can roll it out together that we all embrace it.”
To another question about his contest for next mayor election, Mayor Adams said he is to contest for reelection but right now he is focused on being mayor right now.
Replying question about closing of shelter homes for migrants, Mayor Adams said that they did about 125 number of migrants and asylum seekers and moved off the Randall’s Island location.
“Our goal is to create smaller sites and not these large sites. The challenge becomes is that just about every community is saying, we don’t want a migrant and asylum location here, but we want to sort of downsize, we want to decrease the population. That’s what the 30-day notification is about, the 60-day notification is about. We have to decrease the population and other initiatives to do that,” he said.
