New York City Mayor Eric Adams said on Sunday that fellow Democrat Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot\u2019s election defeat last week should deserve as a \u201cwarning sign for the country.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He rejected criticism that he is feeding into the Republican narrative on crime in addressing public safety concerns in NYC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPublic safety is a prerequisite to prosperity. Same as Chicago, like New York, and many of our big cities across America,\u201d Adams said during an appearance on CNN\u2019s \u201cState of the Union.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat is why we zero focus double-digit decrease in shootings, double-digit decrease in homicides, which we have witnessed this year, particularly the month of February,\u201d he added. \u201cAll of our index crimes are low, low for the entire year. We are focused on public safety because people want to be safe. They don\u2019t feel safe. And they actually say then you\u2019re going to lose control of your city.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Adams was asked if he considered what happened to Lightfoot as a warning for him in New York. He said, \u201cTo the contrary, I think is a warning sign for the country.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEric Adams has been talking about public safety, not only on the campaign trail, but for the first year I showed up at crime scenes,\u201d the mayor added, referring to himself in the third person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI knew what New York was saying, and I saw it all over the country. I think if anything, it is really stating that this is what I have been talking about. America, we have to be safe.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Adams responded to criticism from Rep. Mondaire Jones (D-NY) who argued that the mayor was helping to feed into the Republican narrative on crime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou know the difference between a comment like that and what I say \u2014 I listen to Americans in New York. The polls were clear. New Yorkers felt unsafe, and the numbers show that they were unsafe,\u201d Adams said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNow, if we want to ignore what the everyday public stated, then that\u2019s up to them. I\u2019m on the subways. I walk the streets. I speak to everyday, working-class people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd they were concerned about safety. We zeroed in on that unprecedented historic numbers of felony arrests, removal of guns on our streets, close in homicide cases. We have a recidivism problem in New York, and far too many people, about 2000 people who are repeatedly\u2026 catch, release, repeat in crimes. If we don\u2019t take them off our streets, they\u2019re going to continue to prey on innocent people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Earlier in the interview, Adams defended what many considered a controversial policy to involuntarily commit the homeless mentally ill who can care for their own basic needs. The mayor said that about 4,000 homeless people were brought in for care, while about 1,000 remain in the subways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
His focus has now shifted to young people with mental health issues and substance abuse. He said his administration is working with the governor to open 8,000 new units of permanent housing. He said the estimated cost of the mental health initiative would be about $20 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He was also asked about comments he made at an interfaith real fast about guns replacing prayer in public schools. He defended his remarks and said that \u201cfaith is who I am.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cGovernment should not interfere with religion. Religious should not interfere with government,\u201d Adams said when challenged on the separation of church and state. \u201cThat can\u2019t happen, and it should never happen. But my faith is how I carry out the practices that I do in a policy such as helping people who are homeless, such as making sure that we show compassion in what we do in our city. Government should never be a religion. Religion should never be in government. And I hope I\u2019m very clear on that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n