Amid the swirling chaos of the federal criminal indictment of Mayor Eric Adams, city workers say they feel adrift in an administration in free fall and that the city’s top executive has lost their confidence.
Civil service workers who spoke with THE CITY — all under the condition of anonymity — said they worried that news of the mayor’s five-count, 57-page indictment on bribery and other charges would further erode the public’s trust in government at a critical juncture for the city. And they expressed frustration that Adams has repeatedly denied the accusations against him and so far resisted calls to step aside.
“It’s the height of hypocrisy,” said one 20-year veteran of a social services agency. “He plays by his own set of rules, and it erodes trust in all of us.”
Adams is accused of receiving more than $120,000 worth of gifts from the Turkish government — from business-class international flights to stays at five-star hotels — in exchange for campaign funds funneled through illegal straw donations.
But the mayor sent a mass email to city workers Thursday afternoon, saying he did “nothing wrong” and praising them for their work.
“Team, the greatest city in the world is run by the greatest public servants in the world: all of you,” he wrote. “It is critical, now more than ever, that you all remain focused on delivering for New Yorkers. … Never doubt that the work you do matters, every single day.”
He ended the email underscoring that he would look forward to continuing working with them.
The workers THE CITY talked to noted that all municipal employees are bound by strict ethical laws and that the mayor, in his defiance, has appeared to position himself to a different standard as his workforce.
Still, some said they would keep their heads down and continue doing their jobs with the understanding they are not shaded by the political dealings of the administration.
A worker at the housing department described the scandal as “depressing and embarrassing,” but said it won’t stop him or his colleagues from fulfilling their duties.
“I work at an agency that has a mission to improve the lives of New Yorkers and am surrounded by colleagues who feel the same way,” said the worker. “So with that in mind, my team and I were able to make jokes about the news this morning. Morale is fine.”
Another city worker said that the torrent of raids, firings and resignations over the past 10 months have contributed to a stressful and anxious work environment. Interim and active commissioners, she said, are limited in their ability to run city agencies to their full capacity.
“He did something wrong and I’m glad that it’s come to light. It’s just really sad that we can’t have some stability, and it’s really sad that there’s now more distrust in the government,” said the worker.
“I just want people to know that we city workers care about the work that we do, and that we are not Eric Adams,” said the woman who did not want her name published due to job security concerns.
‘Paralyzed’
As New Yorkers absorbed the news of the criminal investigation against the mayor, several leaders kept their focus on the city’s more than 300,000 civil servants.
“My concern is for the workforce right now, who really drives the work that makes things happen for our individual constituents and overall for the city,” said City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams. “I want to make sure the workforce is OK, I want to make sure our constituents are OK.”
Elsewhere, leaders emphasized the essential role the workers in agencies played in moving forward important services and initiatives. They suggested a distinction between serving the mayoral administration and serving the public.
“In dark days it’s vital to remember the tens of thousands of dedicated public servants who keep our complex and beautiful city running every second every minute every hour year after year,” Deputy Mayor Meera Joshi said. “I am one of them.”
One veteran police sergeant squarely blamed Adams for the pall cast on city government..
The NYPD has been particularly hit hard by the federal probes, with former Commissioner Edward Caban resigning in earlier this month, and investigations of former cops-turned-Adams appointees like Deputy Commissioner for Public Safety David Blanks and senior advisor Tim Pearson.
“The police department is paralyzed,” the sergeant said hours after the indictment was released.
“Nepotism is a form of corruption,” he added. “His entire inner circle was restructured to benefit themselves and their cronies.”
Workers said they did not see a path forward for Adams.
“It’s a wrap from the mayor,” said the social services agency worker. “He’s done. He’s done.”
