House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Thursday that indicted New York Mayor Eric Adams should not resign but needed to “articulate to New Yorkers in a compelling way a plan and a path forward.”
It’s the firmest statement yet from Jeffries on Adams’ predicament after the mayor was charged at the end of September with accepting illegal foreign contributions and engaging in wire fraud and bribery. Jeffries made the comments to NBC News, which were confirmed by his spokesperson.
When asked whether Adams should resign, Jeffries said “no” and indicated he would let the legal process play out. He added that he believed Adams “is entitled to the presumption of innocence and entitled to a trial by a jury of his peers who will ultimately determine his fate within the legal system.”
The top House Democrat also said that the mayor needed to “articulate to New Yorkers, in a compelling way, a plan and a path forward” to ensure New York would continue to function.
Some New York Democrats have called for Adams to step down, including Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), the most senior member of the state’s House delegation, as well as some purple-district candidates. Jeffries had previously sidestepped questions about whether Adams should resign and had pointed to the legal process.
