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Their boss got indicted. We asked agency leaders if Mayor Adams could still run NYC.
By
Elizabeth Kim
Published Oct 1, 2024
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Benny Polatseck/Mayoral Photography Office
By
Elizabeth Kim
Published Oct 1, 2024
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Mayor Eric Adams is promising New Yorkers he can do what none of his modern-day predecessors have done before — run a city of 8 million people while fighting federal corruption charges.
“You heard me say it over and over again,” he told reporters on Monday, teeing up his signature mantra: “Stay focused, no distractions and grind.”
For now, his constituents have time to decide how they feel about the mayor’s decision to stay in office.
The NYPD was already in a leadership crisis after a separate federal investigation resulted in the resignation of former Commissioner Edward Caban. Roughly a week after taking over, Acting Commissioner Thomas Donlon — a former FBI agent — was himself raided by the FBI last month.
And some of the other top officials who have to carry out the city’s functioning day by day seemed reluctant to express confidence in their boss’s abilities.
Gothamist asked seven heads of key agencies that shape New Yorkers’ daily lives — sanitation, parks, housing, transportation, social services, emergency management and buildings — whether they still believed Adams could lead the city.
Six individuals responded to our inquiry, but none answered the question directly. Instead, they shied away from supporting the mayor who appointed them.
“We continue to focus on our mission to grow, maintain, and program a world-class park system prioritizing equity, access, safety, and nature for all New Yorkers,” said Sue Donoghue, the parks commissioner, in a statement.
Donoghue made no mention of the mayor.
In a phone interview, Molly Park, the commissioner for the department of social services, also steered clear of talking about Adams. Instead, she described her agency as run by “city government lifers.”
“We are all here for the long haul to really focus on the services that New Yorkers need,” she added.
Ydanis Rodriguez, the city’s transportation commissioner, said in a statement that he was “laser focused on delivering for New Yorkers every day” and cited some of his agency’s accomplishments including “record amounts of pedestrian space,” protected bike lanes, and establishing a permanent outdoor dining program. “We look forward to keeping up this momentum,” he added.
But Rodriguez, who campaigned for Adams, also did not once refer to the mayor.
The mayor’s office did not respond to a request for comment on this story.
The city’s buildings commissioner, Jimmy Oddo, did mention Adams in his statement, but only to say that upon appointing him, the mayor had ordered him to prioritize safety. “Our mission has not changed,” he said. He also noted the “over 1,500 men and women” in his agency who “remain dedicated to serving the people of New York City.”
Joseph Viteritti, a public policy professor at Hunter College, said that the top officials’ reticence made sense. “If you’re a commissioner you want to do your best to run your agency and stay out of the line of fire.”
A spokesperson for Zach Iscol, the city’s emergency management commissioner, referred to his remarks during an interview on Fox5 last week, after Politico reported he told several people he was planning to resign – and before Adams was indicted.
“This is time for leadership, and the city needs leadership,” Iscol told Fox5 when asked about his change of heart. He said his mentor made him decide not to abandon his job while the administration faces upheaval.
Iscol did not, however, express confidence in the mayor’s leadership.
A spokesperson for Jessica Tisch, the city’s sanitation commissioner, also referred to her public remarks rather than issuing a statement.
During a graduation and promotion ceremony on Monday, Tisch said it was “an honor” to serve under the mayor. But like some of her colleagues, she focused on the work of her staffers.
“New Yorkers know that the Sanitation Department will protect their quality of life,” she said. “They know that all of you will stand up for safe and clean neighborhoods.”
Only Dan Garodnick, the director of the city’s planning department, did not provide a comment by deadline.
The messaging by deputy mayors, who oversee the various agencies, has been the same as their direct reports. They are reassuring New Yorkers that they and their teams are serving the city.
“I have dedicated my entire career to children and families and I have always served to the best of my abilities in good and difficult times and will continue to do the same,” said Anne Williams-Isom, the deputy mayor of health and human services on X.
Maria Torres-Springer, the deputy mayor of housing and economic development, put out a 14-point thread on X outlining how her team has been addressing the housing crisis in recent days.
But for all of their efforts to highlight the city workers who operate behind the scenes, some who’ve worked in government say that Adams’ indictment will inevitably hurt the city.
“He's the final arbiter of the key issues,” said John Mollenkopf, who worked in the city Department of Planning in the 1980s. Now a political scientist at the Center for Urban Research at CUNY, he cast skepticism on the mayor’s signature motto.
Although city government runs on its own momentum, the mayor weighs in on key policy issues and negotiations.
“He's got to be distracted at some level, and that's going to slow down government,” Mollenkopf said.
The rollout of new policies may also suffer, he warned. City agencies often need the mayor to use political capital and influence with the public to promote new initiatives.
“But if they don't think the mayor is going to be there in two weeks or or or two months, it's very undermining,” he said.
Tagged
new york city
Adams investigations
Politics
eric adams
Elizabeth Kim
Elizabeth Kim is a reporter on the People and Power desk who covers mayoral power. She previously covered the pandemic, housing, redevelopment and public spaces. A native of Queens, she speaks fluent Mandarin. Got a tip? Email [email protected]
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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