New York City Mayor Eric Adams issued a stern warning vowing consequences for anyone who releases information about his administration without his approval.
The plan to combat an “aggressive” media and to counter “gotcha” moments with the press was heard in audio of the Democrat mayor in a Zoom call that was obtained by Politico.
“The first few months we’ve noticed that press advisories have gone out or press releases have gone out and number one, we knew nothing about it or it was something that we were still contemplating here — and that’s just not how I operate,” Adams told about 50 officials from various New York City city agencies during Thursday’s Zoom call.
“I’m a big believer in discipline, discipline of message and discipline of action,” the former cop said. “I do not accept people sabotaging this administration. If people want to be hurtful or harmful to this administration, this is not the place you want to serve. And if I ever find out that happens, someone intentionally does something that is inappropriate, you will not work for me as the mayor.”
His strict disciplinary measures were discussed in the wake of recent incidents where some NYC officials had made statements that ran contrary to Adams’ stances. He also called out the media and vowed he would not tolerate leaks.
A new “city agency press release tracker” set up by the mayor demands that “communication officials from dozens of departments must submit press releases, plans for press conferences or other public statements for approval,” according to Politico.
While some staffers on the call told the outlet that there was nothing unusual about Adams wanting to control his administration’s messaging, four officials who previously worked for multiple mayors found the overreach is “beyond the level of message control.”
“You check with City Hall on things, but not at this level,” one agency official told Politico, adding that it “seems pretty micro-managey.”
“What is imperative to know [is] that you are assigned to an agency under a commissioner but you work for me,” Adams said during the call.
“The commissioner leads an agency, but I lead the city,” he added. “I’m the mayor of the city and all communications that come through this city government is coming through my message.”
Adams made it clear that even the small things like a tree-planting volunteer event fall under his directive after a question from a parks department employee.
“The answer is yes because sometimes I’m at an event and the team prepares me with notes and the worst thing that could happen is if you did an event or one of the other teams did an event and I’m questioned and have no idea what it is,” Adams said.
“It’s amazing where you and I see some things as simplistic, but we’re dealing with a very aggressive press corps where there’s an ‘I gotcha’ moment instead of ‘I got you’ and we need to be on top of that,” the mayor contended.
After the hard-line talk, Adams still told employees he had an open-door policy and that he wanted to create a “safe space to work in so we can be as productive as possible.”
According to Politico, the Democrat “promised to personally review submissions every morning after drinking his smoothie and exercising, adding that he wouldn’t delay their work.”
This blustering seems more eyebrow-raising amid a report that Adams promptly fired a mother working at the city Law Department who dared to question when he would “unmask our toddlers.”
One agency official told Politico that Adams “clearly wants total and complete control, a fiction, but he certainly thinks that’s something he can achieve.”
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.
Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida. Powers also contributes to BizPac Review.
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