A news anchor pressed New York Mayor Eric Adams (D) over his use of the word “Negroes” at a Black History Month event.
At a reception celebrating the month, the embattled Adams, who is currently running for reelection amid accusations of corruption, tried to highlight his administration’s achievements and criticized those calling for his resignation.
“All these Negroes who were asking me to step down, God, forgive them,” Adams said at the event on Tuesday. “Are you stupid? I’m running my race right now.”
On Wednesday, Curt Menefee, co-anchor for “Good Day New York,” asked Adams who he was speaking to in his address.
“Are you implying that if you’re Black you have to support you?” Menefee asked.
Adams said that he was asking all New Yorkers to support his campaign.
“So who are you specifically talking to when you say Negroes?” Menefee asked.
Adams responded that he was addressing those who have called for him to step down.
“If you look at that whole speech, the speech talked about the continuation of lighting your flame and continuing to light and shine, and that’s what we’ve done in this administration with our team,” Adams said. “So those who have called for me to allow my flame to prematurely be extinguished, that’s who I’m talking about.”
But Menefee continued to press Adams on his word choice.
“So you’re saying all New Yorkers are Negroes?” Menefee said.
“I thought I was very clear,” a visibly annoyed Adams responded. “In my definition of what I said, all New Yorkers, we got 8.3 million New Yorkers. 8.3 million people didn’t call for me to step down. I get just the opposite when I’m in the streets.”
Polling from the Manhattan Institute earlier this month shows Adams with only 25 percent of voters viewing him positively, compared to 46 percent who see former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo favorably. Cuomo has not yet announced a mayoral campaign, though he is expected to as soon as this weekend.
“So anybody who’s Black who calls for you to step down, they need help from God?” Menefee asked on Wednesday, adding that he was focusing so much on the word choice because Adams has used the term “repeatedly” over the last few weeks and “some people actually have an issue with that term.”
“I didn’t say they needed help from God, but that we should pray for them,” Admas responded. He added that calls for him to resign are undemocratic.
“Our democracy is based on who the people of the city elect,” said Adams. “Why are we trying to disrupt and take the power away from the people of the city who elected me to be the mayor? What have I done that we’re going to usurp that power from the people? I have not been convicted of a crime. I’ve moved the city forward. I’ve done the job that New York is asking me to do, and so when you have those that are trying to use the power of the voting rights of the people that is not democracy, and God forgive them.”
Despite running for reelection, Adams is facing criminal indictments for alleged campaign bribery and fraud.
He is also facing accusations of engaging in a quid pro quo deal with the Trump administration after the White House asked the charges to be dropped.
The request was made after Adams met with President Trump and Tom Holman, the new border czar. The mayor promised to work with the new administration on ending illegal immigration.
Adams has maintained his innocence and denied allegations of a quid pro quo scenario.
