Eric Adams picks up NYC police union endorsements in mayor's race, while the biggest one is still deciding
New York City Mayor Eric Adams picked up endorsements from 13 police unions as he seeks a second term in Gracie Mansion.
The mayor's first round of major labor endorsements in his reelection campaign came at a news conference Thursday afternoon promoting his administration's public safety record, including the Detectives' Endowment Association and Sergeants Benevolent Association.
The largest NYPD union, the Police Benevolent Association, was not at the event. Sources told CBS News New York the PBA wants to go through its own endorsement process and has not yet made a decision on who it will support in the mayor's race.
"Four more years," the crowd chanted behind Adams outside City Hall.
"We can't afford to have de Blasio 2.0 back in City Hall," Benny Boscio Jr., of the Correction Officers Benevolent Association, said.
"Everybody running for office right now, for the mayor, they all have a plan on how they're gonna do public safety. They all have plans on how they're gonna reduce crime. Well those are plans. We have action that has been working," Lieutenants Benevolent Association President Lou Turco said.
The mayor used the union endorsements to tout his administration's record of supporting law enforcement.
"They talk about defunding. They talk about reducing these rank and files. But working-class New Yorkers, they want the men and women who are on this step right now," he said.
Officials from the following unions also attended the event, according to the Adams campaign: Captains Endowment Association, NY Detective Investigators Association, NYC Correction Captains Association, Sanitation Officers Association, Uniformed Sanitationmen's Association Local 831, United Probation Officers Association, Assistant Deputy Wardens/Deputy Wardens Association, CWA Local 1182 (Traffic Enforcement), police and law enforcement unions from across New York state.
The United Federation of Teachers endorsed Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for mayor, last week.
Former interim NYPD commissioner sues Adams & police officials
Adams' law enforcement endorsements come at a critical time in the campaign, after former interim NYPD Commissioner Tom Donlon filed a lawsuit Wednesday accusing the mayor and top brass of running the department as a criminal organization.
The lawsuit was filed under the RICO Act.
When asked about the lawsuit, Detectives' Endowment Association President Scott Munro said, "We're still moving forward endorsing this mayor."
A spokesperson for former Gov. Andrew Cuomo's campaign said, "Eric Adams, according to his last police commissioner, ran a criminal racket at the NYPD. Take that for what it is. I have four letters for him: R-I-C-O."
The campaigns for Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani and Republican Curtis Sliwa did not immediately respond to CBS News New York's request for comment on the latest endorsements.
In the lawsuit, Donlon claims that he was commissioner in name only and was removed from the role when he tried to report corruption and misconduct. He accused the mayor of giving real authority to NYPD members who were loyal to him, alleging the group operated without oversight, enabling sexual predators and burying misconduct investigations.
Donlon also claimed that when he tried to blow the whistle, the NYPD retaliated by falsely arresting his wife over a car insurance issue and leaking the arrest to reporters.
"Her license came up suspended, that's why she was arrested. I don't even believe the patrol officer at that time knew that it was his wife," said Tarik Sheppard, former NYPD deputy commissioner of public information. "So, these kind of ideas are disappointing for a man that was appointed as police commissioner."
Adams, who is running as an independent, said the lawsuit's claims are untrue and questioned the timing of it.
"The explosive terminologies that he's using, this was all done to create a real splash in the middle of the campaign," Adams said in a sit-down interview with CBS News New York's political reporter Marcia Kramer.
He predicted there will be many more twists and turns in the campaign.
"This is a combination of politics, that disgruntled employees in the police department. There's always turnover under leadership if you can't do the job," he said.
Adams' reelection strategy
Adams spoke about his reelection strategy in an interview with CBS News New York after celebrating the 13 law enforcement unions' endorsements.
Another four-year lease at Gracie Mansion may be hard to come by for the mayor, recent polling shows, after he sat out the Democratic primary to run as an independent.
"The polls are not good. I'm wondering what is your strategy for winning?" Kramer asked him.
"Campaigning," Adams said. "We were not campaigning."
Adams said he wants an opportunity to make his case to voters.
"Once I show New Yorkers what we have done for the city and working-class people, we're not talking about the affordability issue, we're producing, everything from $30 billion back in the pockets of working-class New Yorkers, no income tax in the city for low-income New Yorkers ... reduced-fare MetroCard, paying off medical debt," he said.
Adams also wants Cuomo to pack it in and get out of the race. He said Cuomo had his chance in the primary and blew it.
"Now give me an opportunity. I don't know why he created this scenario. I think it was selfish, and he needs to put New York City first instead of just his own attempts to regain entry into political life," he said.
"Are you calling on him to step aside?" Kramer asked.
"Yes, more than once. In private and in public," Adams said.
That may be magical thinking. A spokesman for Cuomo said the former governor has no intention of backing out unless Adams overtakes him in the polls.
"If he wants to prove himself as the strongest candidate, don't talk about it, don't pout and stamp your foot. Go out and convince voters," spokesman Rich Azzopardi said.
Poll shows NYC mayor's race is tightening
Mamdani spent Wednesday in Washington, D.C. where he met with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Sen. Bernie Sanders and other liberal members of Congress.
A new poll shows Mamdani, Cuomo and Sliwa locked in a statistical tie.
The has Mamdani at 26%, Cuomo at 23%, Sliwa at 22% and Adams at 13%. With a 4.1 margin of error in a poll of almost 600, any of the top three contenders could win.
In head-to-head matchups, the poll shows:
- Cuomo 50% vs Mamdani 35%
- Mamdani 43% vs. Adams 36%
"These numbers show a volatile race still taking shape," said Dritan Nesho, CEO of HarrisX. "While the progressive base is fueling Mamdani's rise, Cuomo's broad name recognition and moderate appeal make him a formidable general election challenger."
