NYC Mayor Eric Adams Says He Will 'Reign,' Not Resign As Federal Indictment Looms

AP Photo/Brittainy Newman

You have to hand it to them: Democrat politicians are consistent in a few areas. When they have been busted for some wrongdoing, they always manage to find God. Who can forget Bill Clinton walking out of churches during the Lewinsky scandal, always ensuring he carried his Bible in the hand closest to the camera? On Sunday, it was embattled New York City Mayor Eric Adams who took to the pulpit to commiserate with the faithful.

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On Thursday, Adams was indicted on federal bribery, campaign finance, and conspiracy charges. On Monday, Adams' legal team filed a motion to dismiss the bribery charge. But in between, Adams made his way to two Big Apple churches where he vowed not to resign, but to "reign." At the Emmanuel Presbyterian Reformed Church in the Bronx, Adams stated firmly:

God placed me in this moment and placed in my heart to continue to move this city forward. And so you’ll hear the small number of loud people saying, ‘But he should step down.’ No, I’m going to step up. I’m not going to resign. I’m not going to resign. I’m going to reign.

Adams spoke for roughly 30 minutes and did not take any questions from reporters. Then it was off to Staten Island to Mt. Sinai United Christian Church. The congregation prayed for Adams, and the clergy warned that "storms would arise along his journey." 

Adams answered, "The question becomes, is how true is your faith? I’m asking the people of this city, let me continue to do this job."

 Adams' religious pilgrimage, however, began on Friday after his arraignment, where he visited a senior center where Adams prayed with members, a church in Queens, where he talked about "the power of prayer," and a gospel concert back in the Bronx.

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Among the charges Adams is facing, are that of accepting luxury travel bribes in exchange for the 36-story Turkevi Center (the Turkish House) to pass a New York City Fire Department safety inspection despite safety concerns. Federal officials are also looking into whether Turkish officials, some business leaders, and other individuals conspired with both Adams' 2021 and 2025 mayoral campaigns. But, court documents cite possible wrongdoing as far back as 2016. All in all, Adams has allegedly defrauded taxpayers to the tune of roughly $10 million over the last decade: 

Like every other American, Eric Adams is innocent until proven guilty. But could his sudden legal woes be because of something else? In April of 2023, when busloads of illegal immigrants began arriving in New York City and other Democrat-run cities, Adams quickly blamed the Republican governors for the onslaught. As it continued, Adams blamed the federal government, and more specifically President Joe Biden, for not doing enough to help the cities the immigrants were arriving at. Adams said at the time:

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“The president and the White House have failed New York City on this issue,” “This is one of the largest humanitarian crises that this city has ever experienced. It will impact every service in the city. Why isn’t every elected official in Washington, D.C., asking the national government, ‘why are you doing this to New York?’”

Adams claimed that the indictments were retaliation for his outspokenness in his criticism of the Biden administration's immigration policies. In a video statement, Adams said: 

"The federal government did nothing as its broken immigration policies overloaded our shelter system with no relief. I put the people of New York before party and politics."

If Eric Adams had never said a word about how the Biden administration was handling the illegal immigrant crisis, would he be facing federal charges today? Hard to say, but then there is Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX). Back in 2021, Cuellar, whose district sits along the border, blasted Joe Biden for not going to the border himself to see the crisis. In May 2024, Cuellar and his wife were indicted on federal bribery, foreign influence, and money laundering charges.

Not all of Eric Adams's constituents are buying his churchgoing, according to the NY Post story linked above. One woman at the senior center said, “They were in there saying prayers and s–t. That prayer ain’t going to work for a devil."

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Adams will be in court again on Wednesday. If convicted on all charges, he could face 45 years in prison.

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