Who Could Take Over For Eric Adams? Meet Jumaane Williams

NEW YORK CITY — New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been indicted on five criminal charges, federal prosecutors said on Thursday and if he is unable to complete his term there is a line of succession.

Many lawmakers have called on Adams to resign, but he is not legally required to leave office.

However, the New York City Charter gives New York Governor Kathy Hochul the power to suspend and remove Adams from his job.

If Adams resigns or is removed from office, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams — a Brooklyn Democrat who seems to have cleared his schedule for Thursday — would be installed as the interim mayor.

It's not known if Hochul is exploring removing Adams. Her office did not respond to request for comment.

So, Here's What You Need To Know About Williams:

Williams, a progressive Democrat, has been New York City's public advocate since 2019, when he was elected during a special election after Letisha James left the post to serve as New York's Attorney General.

Williams, whose family is from Grenada, is a first-generation Brooklynite and a public school graduate who went on to get his Master's degree from Brooklyn College.

From 2010 to 2019, Williams represented Brooklyn's District 45 in City Council, which includes Flatbush, East Flatbush, Marine Park and Midwood.

During his time on City Council, he was vocal about police reform and passed the Community Safety Act, which created an enforceable ban against bias-based profiling.

He also passed the Fair Chance Act, commonly known as the Ban The Box Act, which bans employers from discriminating against a potential employee based on their criminal record.
Williams has been arrested a few times, most recently on April 4, for protesting with tenants outside of the Real Estate Board of New York.

He was also arrested in 2009 after a dispute with a former girlfriend, but the charges were dismissed when it was proved there was no physical altercation or threat at all, he told NY1.

For some time, he has had his eye on the gubernatorial office. In 2018, he ran for lieutenant governor on Cynthia Nixon's ticket, but lost to Kathy Hochul and Andrew Cuomo. Then, in 2021, he ran for New York governor but lost the primary to Kathy Hochul.

Reacting to the indictment, Williams said he would make sure the city government continues to operate.

"In a moment of intense turmoil, I am committed to working with my fellow elected officials and the many thousands of incredibly dedicated public servants to ensure our city continues to operate in any eventuality,” Williams said on Thursday, following the news of the indictment.

As of 2 p.m. on Thursday, the mayor has not announced plans to resign.

Adams Legal Woes

Federal prosecutors unsealed the indictment on Thursday morning, which accuses Adams of soliciting illegal campaign contributions and bribes from foreign nationals in exchange for favors. NBC New York posted the indictment in its entirety, which is viewable here.

In his Wednesday night video address, Adams said the charges, which hadn't been announced yet, would be "based on lies."

"I know I'm innocent," he said in the address.

Court dates for Adams have not been released yet, but the case would proceed through the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.

"Make no mistake — you elected me to lead this city, and lead it I will," Adams said on Wednesday night.