Adams Peppered with ?s on DNC Role; Chief Counsel Triggers Uproar as She Tries to Rein In Queries on Presidential Election

As Mayor Eric Adams was preparing to jet off to the Democratic National Convention, he was understandably peppered with questions as to whether he was disappointed he was not given a speaking role and what role exactly he expected to play in the election campaign of Kamala Harris.

Adams answered most of the questions, insisting he has “no ego” and was not miffed and did not feel snubbed.

“When I communicated with the campaign, I told them, give me the assignment you want me to do. Tell me I can help you. And trust me there’s some sharp elbows. A lot of people would like to be on that stage and I don;t want to add to the complications.”

Adam had been sharply critical of the Biden Administration for not sending aid to New York City to help cope with the 220,000 asylum seeking migrants who arrived in the city in the past year. And there is also an ongoing corruption probe afoot over campaign financing.

The convention did have plenty of New Yorker. Four of the Central Park Five, now known as the Exonerated Five, were on stage, including city council member Yusef Salam. Governor Kathy Hochul spoke on the opening night and even the Rev. Al Sharpton got a speaking role on Aug. 22.

Near the end of Adams media availability on Aug. 20, a day before Adams landed in Chicago, chief legal counsel Lisa Zornberg tried to ward off questions regarding what role the mayor expected to play in the upcoming campaign.

It came right after Straus News had asked him a question about the rise in rat complaints to 311 since he became mayor.

After Adams gave a sometimes humorous answer about rats, Zornberg jumped in.

”Mayor?” she said. “Not on this subject of rats, but you did say that I am constantly giving reminders all the time. I’d like to give one now to the press corps, just a respectful reminder.

”There was a question put to the mayor asking about what his specific role will be in the campaign. That’s not a proper question to be asking during a city event, where there’s obviously a lot of leeway that we’re trying to give to ask questions, because even if a questions seems political, the answer often is about the city and the City of New York and there’s a city purpose.

”But I would ask please refrain from asking specific questions solely campaign-related about the presidential campaign or other campaigns, about the role in presidential campaigns.”

As Adams and most of his aides headed off at the end of the hour-long press briefing, Zornberg was surrounded by the press that continued to pepper her with additional questions.

Earlier in the Aug. 20 press avail, Adams had insisted he was not miffed at not being given a more prominent role in the convention.

”I have one mission and that is to elect VP Harris to be the president of the United States, period. And I keep saying over and over again, ‘I’m a soldier. And when you’re a soldier you take your assignment and carry it out. It doesn’t matter.

”I’m not on an ego trip where I have to have this role or that role. I’m the mayor of the city of New York...And so I’m going to the DNC to get my assignment. We’re huddling, and we’re going to come out and go to the line of scrimmage and execute the play to get the ball down the field so we can get this championship ring called presidency, and that’s my focus.”

Adams, one of the 28 Democratic electors for NYS, said he was not asked to speak at the DNC and but added he did not seek a speaking role either. In earlier conferences, he said repeatedly that the federal government should be picking up more of the burden for the 220,000 migrants who have descended on the city in the past two and half years. He said while the city is still intaking 700 per week–down from 4,000 a week at its peak–he said there are currently 1,200 migrants exiting the shelter system each week. He said that migrant crisis is just one of many city issues he would be discussing at the convention with other mayors and elected officials.

After Zornberg issued her admonition to the press, one reporter in the riled up press corps shouted, ”Mayor Adams. Do you agree with that?”

Adams appeared to quickly give cover to Zornberg. “What the counsel is stating, during this political season, being proactive, she has been communicating with the COIB [Conflict of Interest Board] and we don’t agree with all of their rules. Let’s be clear on that. We don’t make these rules. We don’t agree with all of them. But if the COIB gives us something, we have to adhere to what they give us. That’s what the counsel is going into.”

Reporters mobbed Zornberg afterwards, pressing her for more details She did stand for about five minutes afterwards in an impromptu press conference after the mayor’s regular media availability. It was ok to ask how Adams would be representing the city at the DNC, Zornberg said, but not OK to ask what role the mayor planned to play to help the Kamala Harris election campaign.

Deputy mayor Ingrid Lewis-Martin also jumped in to defend her boss, pointing out that he’s one of NYS’s 28 electoral college voters. “You know, when it comes down to the actual vote, there’s 28 votes fore the Electoral College. And that’s really promising and key. The mayor is one of the 28. So there’s no snubbing of the mayor. It’s just a matter of spacing. He’s well regarded by the party.”