NYC NOW - Morning Headlines: Trump Considers Pardoning Mayor Eric Adams, Adams’ Top Aide Faces Indictment, SUNY Downstate CEO Steps Down, and NYC’s Drought Warning Ends

Episode Date: December 17, 2024

Get up and get informed! Here's all the local news you need to start your day: President-elect Trump says he would consider pardoning Mayor Eric Adams, who faces federal corruption charges. Meanwhile, one of the mayor’s top aides, Ingrid Lewis-Martin, says she expects to be indicted. Also, the CEO of SUNY Downstate Medical Center is stepping down amid allegations of financial misconduct. Finally, New York City’s drought warning has ended as reservoirs recover.

Welcome to NYC Now. Your source for local news in and around New York City from WNYC. It's Tuesday, December 17th. Here's the morning headlines. I'm Jene Pierre. President-elect Trump says he would consider pardoning Mayor Eric Adams for federal corruption charges. Trump addressed the mayor's legal troubles in his first press conference since he was re-elected president last month. I think that he was treated pretty unfairly.

Now I haven't seen the gravity of it all. Trump went on to say he'd have to look more closely at the case. Federal prosecutors indicted the mayor in September on five counts, including accepting illegal foreign donations and trading officials' favors for luxury travel perks. Adams has pleaded not guilty and his trial is scheduled for April. Several high-profile officials have since departed from his administration, including longtime top aide Ingris Lewis Martin. She made an announcement on yesterday that she expects to be indicted

in the coming days. Addressing the media Monday afternoon, Adam said he prayed for his friend. She's not only has been constantly by my side throughout this entire journey. She's not only a friend, but she's my sister. And I love her so much. And I just really ask God to give her strength

in the days to come. Investigators with the Manhattan DA's office seized Louis Martin's phones in September. She maintains her innocence. The CEO of SUNY downstate Memphis, Medical Center in Brooklyn is stepping down amid concerns about unethical behavior. According to the news site political, Dr. David Berger is under investigation by the state for financial wrongdoing. He's run the cash-strapped hospital since 2020. Berger and state officials

are declining to comment on a potential probe. Governor Hulkel says she's directed the hospital to replace him because she has, quote, no tolerance for any form of unethical conduct. New York City is no longer under a drought warning. The city's reservoir is in the Hudson Valley and Catskills are starting to catch up. New York has badly needed this rainy December. A dry spell from October through August contributed to brush fires and led officials to cancel New Year's fireworks plans in Central Park and Prospect Park. The city is still under a drought watch and New Yorkers are still being as to conserve water where they can. That could mean running the dishwasher when it's full or shutting off the faucet while you brush your teeth this morning.

51 degrees overcast skies this morning. It'll be a cloudy morning. to start, but those skies will clear up and it will be a sunny day with a high around 57 degrees. Mostly clear skies ahead tonight with lows in the upper 30s, and on Wednesday, sunny to start with a chance of mid-afternoon showers. Thanks for listening. This is NYC now from WNYC. Be sure to catch us every weekday, three times a day, for your top news headlines and occasional deep dives, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. See you this afternoon.