NY clergy meets with Hochul, urging gov to keep NYC Mayor Eric Adams in office
Hizzoner has a prayer to stay in office.
A group of top New York faith leaders met with Gov. Kathy Hochul Tuesday and urged her to have divine patience before deciding to remove embattled Mayor Eric Adams from office, The Post has learned.
'Clergy are concerned about an immediate and unthought-out response from anyone to the Eric Adams situation and appreciated the governor meeting with us to include different perspectives in her deliberation,' said Rev. AR Bernard, pastor of the Christian Cultural Center megachurch in Brooklyn.
Joseph Potasnik, executive vice president of the New York Board of Rabbis, who was also at the Tuesday meeting, said Adams deserves to be treated fairly.
He said he still supports Adams, citing the embattled mayor's fullthroated support of the Jewish community in the wake of rising antisemitism set off by the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas' attacks in Israel and subsequent war in Gaza.
'Eric Adams has been a very important voice who has stood up for the Jewish community during an important time when others were silent,' Potasnik said.
Both thanked Hochul for soliciting their input and categorized the meeting as productive.
Adams has faced calls for his resignation and removal after the Trump Department of Justice moved to drop a federal corruption case against him until at least after the election in November.
Critics have raised concerns that Adams would be beholden to Trump and his hardline immigration policy in a quid pro quo deal for dropping the case — though the mayor has denied any agreement.
Four of his deputy mayors resigned in protest.
Meanwhile, eight black legislators wrote Hochul, saying they see no reason to remove Adams.
'As black legislators we have seen this over and over again: double standards and an unfair process when it comes to our leaders,' said the legislators, including Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, an Adams ally and Brooklyn Democratic Party chairwoman.
'If a move is made against the mayor without a justifiable legal reason, our communities will not forget it,' the lawmakers said.
Signatories included state Sens. Roxanne Persaud, Leroy Comrie, James Sanders and Assembly members Nikki Lucas, Alicia Hyndman, Clyde Vanel and Al Taylor.
Dov Hikind, founder of Americans Against Antisemitism, also urged Hochul to back off Adams.
He said Public Advocate Jumaane Williams — who accused Israel of committing 'genocide' in Gaza –would become the acting mayor if Adams is removed.
'Governor Hochul, I beseech you and plead with you not to make the greatest mistake of your political life in crowning Williams as Mayor of our city,' Hikind said.
'He represents a dangerous element not only for the Jewish community but for all law abiding citizens of New York. You, and only you, will be held responsible and New Yorkers will not forgive you…Let the people decide the future of New York in the upcoming elections.'
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Newsweek
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