NYC NOW - Morning Headlines: Expert Says Mayor Adams Exit Unlikely to Reshape Mayoral Race, AG James Turns to National Fund for Legal Defense, and What What's Next for Adams

Episode Date: September 29, 2025

A political strategist says Mayor Eric Adams’ departure from the race is unlikely to dramatically shift the mayoral contest, even if his supporters backed a single candidate. Meanwhile, Attorney General Letitia James will draw on a fund from the Democratic Attorneys General Association to cover her legal defense in a Justice Department probe. In baseball, the Yankees clinched a playoff berth while the Mets were eliminated after a late season collapse. And WNYC’s Brigid Bergin unpacks Mayor Adams’ suspension from the Mayoral race.

Welcome to NYC Now, your source for local news in and around New York City. From WNYC, it's Monday, September 29th. Here's the morning headlines from Michael Hill. A dramatic shift in the New York City race for mayor is unlikely, even after the departure of the incumbent Mayor Adams. That's according to political strategists and Columbia University professor Basil Smikele. even if everyone he says who had been supporting Adams through their support behind a single candidate, not much would change.

Still, he says, never say never. Even though it's highly unlikely, it's not impossible that the entire narrative of the race changes, even though they're only about five weeks left. Democratic nominees, Ron Mundani, is the clear frontrunner in the race. Right behind him is former Governor Andrew Cuomo running as an independent and Republican Curtis Lewa. cited his campaign's financial woes, among the reasons for his decision to suspend his campaign. His name, though, will still appear on the ballot. New York State Attorney General Tish James is turning to a national group to fund her legal defense at a Justice Department probe.

DeV.M.C.'s Jimmy Veilkine reports. James will tap a fund set up by the Democratic Attorney's General Association. The group says it's stepping up to defend elected prosecutors targeted by President Trump. It's a sign the legal pressure on James is rising. Trump administration officials say James made false statements on mortgage applications for her Brooklyn Brownstone and a home in Virginia. The president recently said on social media that James was, quote, guilty as hell and should be prosecuted. James and her attorneys say the allegations are baseless and politically motivated. James's office won a roughly $500 million judgment against the president and his company that is currently under appeal.

Mix feelings for New York baseball fans this morning, the Yankees will head to the playoffs, but they did come up short on winning the division title. The Toronto Blue Js beat Tampa to clinch the American League east. That leaves the Yankees in the wild card mix, but without the division crown or home field advantage. They'll play the Red Sox at home in the first wildcard series starting tomorrow. And for the Queens team, the Mets' late season collapsed. Well, it's complete. of 4-0-0 loss to the Miami Marlins yesterday knocked them out of the postseason picture.

The Cincinnati Reds have cleansed the National League's final wildcard spot. 67 and mostly clear right now, partly sunny for this last Monday of September, a high near 80 degrees. This is WNYC. Stay close. There's more after the break. It is a new day in the race for New York City mayor, current mayor, Eric Adams has suspended his re-election bid. Left in the race are Democratic nominee and frontrunner Zeran Mamdani, former governor Andrew Cuomo, who is running as an independent and Republican candidate Curtis Slewa. Here to dive into Adams' decision, and what it means for the race is WNYC's senior

politics reporter Bridget Bergen. Bridget, what were Mayor Adams' reasons for saying enough? Well, Michael, the mayor released an eight-plus minute video yesterday. afternoon where he gave two reasons, blaming the media speculation over his future and the campaign finance board's decision to withhold taxpayer-funded matching funds from his campaign. Here are his words. The constant media speculation about my future and the campaign finance board's decision to withhold millions of dollars have undermined my ability to raise the funds needed for a serious campaign.

Now, Michael, those, that's what he said. Now, this is what he didn't say. In recent weeks, a series of public polls have come out and Adams has been polling in fourth place behind those three candidates you mentioned in all of them. Now, this comes, despite his decision back in the spring to skip that Democratic primary and mount a re-election bid as an independent, his campaign could just never shake off the appearance that he made a deal with President Trump's Justice Department to get his federal corruption case dropped. Now, even though Adams continues to say that the case itself, which notably involved charges that he abused the city's campaign finance system, he says that case was politically motivated. He never was really able to get this campaign off the ground. Now, when voters go to the poll, Bridget, in November, they're still going to see his name on the ballot, right? Absolutely. It is well beyond the date when Adams could actually have his name removed. So, you know, some low information voters who maybe aren't following all these twists and turns, and maybe even some protest votes will still likely go to the sitting mayor. Bridget, people out there have to be asking, why now, why did it take the mayor so long to reach this conclusion,

given that a second term has looked out of reach for more than a year? You know, Adams has been saying publicly that he was in this race to win, but there have been multiple reports that his advisor, have been in talks with the Trump administration negotiators looking for an exit ramp from this campaign earlier this month. He met with officials in Florida. The New York Times reported that they were in negotiations

about a role as a possible ambassador to Saudi Arabia. But nothing fully materialized. In about two weeks ago, on a Friday afternoon, the rumors really began to hit this fever pitch that Adams was going to drop out of the race. And then he came out of Gracie Mansion and held a press conference declaring that he was in it to win it. And ultimately, it seems like some of his biggest supporters, including Frank Corone, say that Adams was just not in a place at this point to beat the leading contender, specifically assembly members of Ron Mundani.

So, you know, this is just his last ditch effort to narrow the race. So who stands to benefit from the mayor's departure from this race? Where do his supporters? Where do the supporters? Where do they go? Well, some polls have shown Adams pulled some of the same moderate black voters that have traditionally. supported Andrew Cuomo. But Evans was also polling well among some Republicans. So there's a chance some of his supporters may also support Republican Cordes-Slewa. But, you know, there are going to be some voters who sit this out entirely, Michael. And keep in mind, Adams was only polling anywhere from 7 to 11 percent, depending on which poll you're looking at. So we're still talking about a

relatively small number of supporters either way. You've heard from other candidates? Yeah. So no surprise, the remaining candidates were all putting statements and videos out yesterday. Laias LeWas campaign issued a statement saying he was the only candidate who could beat Mamdani and he had the team and resources that were unmatched. Cuomo also issued a statement saying that the choice Eric Adams from mayor made was not an easy one, but quote, I believe he is sincere in putting the well-being of New York City ahead of personal ambition. We face destructive extremist forces that would devastate our city through incompetence or ignorance, but it is not too late to stop them. The statement went on to praise some of

Adams accomplishments in office. Now, I'll note that Adams did not endorse anyone in his video suspending his campaign. And that's certainly something to watch earlier this month. He called Cuomo a snake and a liar instead of when he was insisting that he was going to stay in this race. So it would be a real total about face if he endorses Cuomo, but, you know, nothing really would surprise me at this point, Michael. And finally, Mom Dani released a video statement about Adams. he talked up his own grassroots organizing efforts and then added this point. In just over five weeks, we will turn the page on the politics of big money and small ideas and deliver a government every New Yorker can be proud of.

And to Andrew Cuomo, you got your wish. You wanted Trump and your billionaire friends to help you clear the field. But don't forget, you wanted me as your opponent in the primary too. And we beat you by 13 points. So a lot of confidence coming from the first. Run runner there. Sounds like he's throwing it down there. How do you think Adams will be remembered as mayor, Bridget? What will his, what will his legacy be? Well, Michael, he's the first city mayor in modern, you know, the first modern city mayor to be criminally indicted. He is the

first mayor since William Gaynor. I know a household name. In 1913 decided to not seek another term for which he was eligible. And he's the first mayor since David Dinkins, the city's first black mayor to only serve one term. I think somewhat sadly for someone who ran on a pledge to restore order and public safety to a city just, you know, coming out of that global pandemic, his accomplishments, whether it's bringing down crime or building more housing, are likely to be overshadowed by the dozens of officials who left his administration under clouds of corruption. And the way this case ultimately ended, driving career Republican prosecutors out of the U.S. attorney's office over allegations of a quid pro quo with Trump's Justice Department over an agreement

that the Adams administration would support their mass deportation policies. You know, even the federal judge who dismissed the case said everything smacked of a bargain. So in many ways, you know, it just feels like a political tragedy, son of Queens who lived himself out of poverty, built a career as a New York City police officer, and then reached the highest perch in city politics, is ending things under a cloud of disgrace. And Bridget, what are you hearing, at least in speculation, about Adams' future? You know, I think that will be something we will be watching very closely, whether or not he makes a decision to actually weigh in on this mayoral race, and whether it becomes clearer

what is ultimately his next step, whether it's in the private sector or something in the Trump administration, you know, will be ready to report it for all of our listeners. WNIC's Bridget Bergen. Bridget, thank you. Thank you. Thanks for listening. This is NYC Now from WNYC. Check us out for updates every weekday, three times a date, for the latest news headlines and occasional deep dives. And subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. We'll be back this evening.