(3 Apr 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
New York – 3 April 2025
1. Eric Adams attending the National Action Networks mayoral candidates forum in New York City hosted by Rev. Al Sharpton
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Mayor Eric Adams, (D) New York
"I’m a Democrat. I’m running as an Independent because we would have thought this case would have been over a long time ago. The election is in June. I collected 25,000 signatures. I wanted to run a democratic primary but I had to be realistic. I have to let New Yorkers know what I have done."
3. Wide Adams on stage
4. Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo on stage
5. Adrienne Adams, New York City Council Speaker
6. Brad Lander, New York City Comptroller
7. Zohran Mamdani, Assemblyman, State of New York
8. New York State Senator Jessica Ramos
9. Scott Stringer, former NYC Comptroller
10. New York State Senator Zellnor Myrie
11. Michael Blake, former New York State Assemblyman
STORYLINE:
New York City Mayor Eric Adams withdrew from the city’s Democratic primary on Thursday and said he would instead run for reelection as an independent, a move intended to buy him time to save a campaign deeply wounded by a bribery scandal and liberal anger over his warm relationship with President Donald Trump.
In a video announcement, Adams said he will not run in the Democratic primary in June because his recently dismissed criminal case “dragged on too long” while the “false accusations were held over me,” preventing him from campaigning.
The decision came after intense speculation over whether Adams would remain in the Democratic primary, which has attracted several serious opponents, including former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
In a practical sense, the move will allow Adams to skip directly to the general election in November, giving him more time to campaign unencumbered by the weight of his criminal charges. But it will also further distance Adams from the city’s heavily Democratic electorate and party organization, potentially weakening his chances of winning a second term.
The mayor, who had not formed much of a formal reelection apparatus, has struggled to raise money in recent months and suffered a blow when he was denied access to millions of dollars in public matching funds for his campaign because of questions about gaps in his recordkeeping.
At a Thursday afternoon forum held by the Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network, Adams said the criminal case had “overshadowed” his achievements and politically sidelined him.
“I wanted to run in a Democratic primary but I have to be realistic,” he said. “I have to let New Yorkers know what I have done.”
A federal judge dismissed Adams’ corruption case on Wednesday, ending a legal saga that left the mayor severely damaged and raised questions about his political independence.
The charges, brought last year during President Joe Biden’s administration, accused Adams of accepting illegal campaign contributions and travel discounts from a Turkish official and others, in exchange for helping Turkey open a diplomatic building without passing fire inspections, among other things.
The mayor pleaded not guilty and was set for a trial in April, but the case was upended after Trump’s Justice Department moved to drop the charges so that Adams could assist with the president’s immigration agenda, while leaving open the possibility that the case could be revived.
The highly unusual move set off a firestorm of criticism and resignations and threw Adams’ mayoralty in doubt, with many people questioning whether he was beholden to the Trump administration.
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