Three years ago, Eric Adams, then a rising Democratic star, would have been the main attraction at an event like this: a politically star-studded Democratic fund-raiser at the famed Junior’s Restaurant in Brooklyn, the borough where Mr. Adams made his mark in politics.
But with his administration appearing to be in free fall, his stature — and even his appearance at the fund-raiser on Monday — is in question.
In the last week, two prominent New York City officials have resigned as federal investigations swirl around Mayor Adams and his inner circle, raising doubts about his political future and his ability to focus on his agenda.
The police commissioner, Edward A. Caban, resigned on Thursday at the request of City Hall; Lisa Zornberg, the mayor’s chief legal adviser, resigned abruptly on Saturday, largely in frustration over the mayor’s refusal to follow her advice on personnel matters, according to a person familiar with her decision.
New Yorkers could learn in the coming days whether more officials might quit his administration in an effort to distance themselves from scandal or be asked to leave; whether additional elected officials will call on Mr. Adams to resign; and whether the investigations advance or new allegations emerge.
On Sunday, Mr. Adams made his first in-person public appearance since testing positive for Covid last week, visiting the African American Day Parade in Manhattan. In the evening, he visited an officer who was shot at a subway station in Brooklyn with his new interim police commissioner, Thomas Donlon. They held a news conference at Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center in Brooklyn.
On Monday morning, Mr. Adams was scheduled to attend the fund-raiser held by the Brooklyn Democratic Party at Junior’s. Other New York Democratic leaders listed on the invitation included Chuck Schumer, the Senate majority leader; Hakeem Jeffries, the House Democratic leader; and Gov. Kathy Hochul.
The event, which had a top ticket price of $1,000, was promoted as a “Bringing Home the Election Victory” breakfast in support of Kamala Harris, congressional candidates and state lawmakers running in November.
If Mr. Adams appears, it remains to be seen whether his Democratic colleagues seek to keep him at arm’s length. Assemblywoman Emily Gallagher and Senator Julia Salazar on Friday became the first two state lawmakers to call for Mr. Adams to resign.
Chris Coffey, a Democratic political strategist, said the mayor will try to move past the bad headlines, but he might have to make further changes to his administration to restore trust with the public.
“I expect him to be out doing events and reassuring people that crime is moving in the right direction,” he said. “If this is more serious and they’re expecting bad news, then they’ll have to cut some bait to show that they’re taking it seriously.”
The mayor’s opponents in the Democratic primary next June have pounced on the investigations to argue that Mr. Adams is not trustworthy. The city’s comptroller, Brad Lander, who is running for mayor, has called for “real management reforms and public integrity safeguards” at the Police Department and City Hall.
On Sunday, Zellnor Myrie, a state senator from Brooklyn who is running for mayor, spoke at First Baptist Church of Crown Heights in Brooklyn — in the heart of the mayor’s political base — and made a passionate plea that “our leaders should be people of integrity.” He compared Mr. Adams to a tree with rotten fruit.
“As I explore a new role in public service, we are going to be faced with a choice — there are trees that look good, they’re tall, they look nice, but the fruit is rotten,” he said.
Late last week, a fourth prominent Democrat, State Senator Jessica Ramos, joined Mr. Lander, Mr. Myrie and Scott Stringer, a former city comptroller, in a growing field of mayoral hopefuls seeking to stop Mr. Adams from winning a second term next year.
While Mr. Adams might be eager to move on from the investigations, some have called on him to oust other officials who are under investigation, including Timothy Pearson, his longtime friend and adviser, and Philip Banks, the deputy mayor of public safety.
Christina Greer, a political science professor at Fordham University, said Mr. Adams will probably not push out Mr. Pearson or Mr. Banks.
“Often the mayor doubles down in his loyalty — it very well could be his big fault as mayor of New York City,” she said.
But Mr. Adams will try to show that he has things under control, she said, and to remind New Yorkers that he has not been accused of a crime.
Mr. Adams will try to show that he has things under control and to remind New Yorkers that he has not been accused of a crime, she said, even though there is so much smoke that it “would make me feel very uncomfortable if I was in the building.”
Indeed, the mayor seems set on fulfilling his often-repeated mantra: Stay focused, no distractions and grind.
The mayor’s office has said that Mr. Adams plans to name a new counsel in the coming days. And on Wednesday, the mayor is scheduled to tackle one of his signature issues, as the city hosts the inaugural National Urban Rat Summit.
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