MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
New York Mayor Eric Adams appears in court today. He will be arraigned on five federal charges of bribery, fraud and soliciting illegal foreign campaign donations. The mayor insists he is innocent and is vowing to stay in office.
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ERIC ADAMS: My day-to-day will not change. I will continue to do the job for 8.3 million New Yorkers that I was elected to do.
MARTIN: But some New York leaders are calling for him to resign, and that includes someone we're going to hear from next. That is City Council Member Shekar Krishnan. Council Member, good morning. Thank you for joining us.
SHEKAR KRISHNAN: Good morning, Michel. Thank you so much for having me on.
MARTIN: So you issued a statement yesterday saying that City Hall is in, quote, "free fall," unquote. You were referring to all the top officials who have already resigned. And you went on to say that the mayor should resign because he has already proven he is unfit and unable to lead from City Hall. What do you mean by that?
KRISHNAN: Well, you know, I want to say, first of all, it is a sad day for New York City. And I'm disappointed because no matter who you voted for or who you supported, we need the mayor of New York City to succeed. We needed Eric Adams to succeed. But as a parent of two children, when I'm walking to school yesterday morning, I'm hearing parents worried about the future of their after-school programs because of all the changing leadership at the Department of Education, seniors who need access to health care or pay their rent. And New Yorkers want to feel safe walking down the street or using the subway. And the real question that Mayor Adams needs to look at himself in the mirror and ask - and every New Yorker should be asking - is while he's mounting his own legal defense, while his commissioners are resigning and stepping down or being investigated by the FBI, can he run the city and stay focused and not distracted by all the instability and chaos and his own federal indictment? And to me, the answer is a clear no.
MARTIN: You know, you said yourself that a core American value is that everybody's innocent until proven guilty. The mayor says he's innocent. You know, why should he resign based on an indictment and not a conviction?
KRISHNAN: Well, it's absolutely true. As a former civil rights lawyer, I believe strongly in the presumption of innocence, and Mayor Adams is innocent until proven guilty of all charges. He has every right to mount a vigorous legal defense, and I will defend that right. But this is about focused leadership for New York City. If you have a corporation like, let's say, Apple, would its board of directors allow its CEO to stay on facing a five-count felony indictment? Would a professional football team allow a quarterback to start on the weekend that's facing felony federal charges? This context is no different. We need a leader and a team around them that is focused on the issues.
MARTIN: OK, I understand what you're saying. You're saying he's unable to lead, but how does that make him unfit?
KRISHNAN: Well, I'll give you an example. Mayor Adams said in a statement yesterday, that you just played before, that he's going to fight his federal charges with every ounce of strength and his spirit that he has. Then what's left for New York City?
MARTIN: OK.
KRISHNAN: What about the focus?
MARTIN: So the New York City Charter says that the governor can remove a mayor who has been charged with a crime. It doesn't specify that it has to be a conviction. If Adams refuses to resign, should Governor Kathy Hochul remove him?
KRISHNAN: I think Mayor Adams needs to do the right thing and resign, for the good of all New Yorkers, you know. And I want to add one - and otherwise...
MARTIN: But should he - but should she remove him?
KRISHNAN: I think if he's not going to do the right thing, he should be removed. And I would say this, Michel, too - we want leaders who look like everyday New Yorkers, who look like us. And as the first leader of color to represent my New York City Council District in Jackson Heights, I know how important that is. And I know - let's be honest, too - I know the bias, double standards, outright racism that leaders like Mayor Adams can face. But this is about having focused leadership that is not distracted by chaos and instability, that doesn't have commissioners being investigated by the FBI and their phone seized. This is about having a leader and a team that can focus on New Yorkers. We don't have that right now.
MARTIN: So we'll have to see what happens. And as very briefly, a yes or no, are you also worried that this will reflect poorly on other leaders? The House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik says that the allegations against Adams reflect the Democratic Party. Are you worried that this will reflect on the rest of you - yes or no?
KRISHNAN: I am worried. I'm worried that if we don't have this focused leadership, the future and well-being of our communities, especially here in New York City, are at stake. And that worries me greatly.
MARTIN: That is New York City Council Member Shekar Krishnan. Council Member, thank you so much for speaking with us.
KRISHNAN: Thanks for having me on. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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