Transcript: Mayor Adams Appears Live on FOX5's "Good Day New York"

October 7, 2024

Dan Bowens: Well, the city's composting program has officially expanded to all five boroughs. 

Rosanna Scotto: Yesterday, the curbside composting program went into effect. Joining us from City Hall with details how it works are New York City Mayor Eric Adams along with the city Sanitation commissioner, Jessica Tisch. Nice to have you both back on Good Day New York.

Mayor Eric Adams: Thank you, great to be here. And it is an exciting program. Commissioner Tisch has really rolled out how we manage the trash in our city, particularly in our war on rats. And I'm not gonna take her thunder. She's gonna tell you about this great program.

Bowens: And commissioner, can you talk to us about how it works? If I'm in an apartment building, which so many New Yorkers are, do I have to have a separate bin? Do I put it in a plastic container? How's this gonna work?

Commissioner Jessica Tisch, Department of Sanitation: No, if you're in an apartment building, you probably just bring your food waste down to the same place you bring your trash. And your building management sets it out in a separate food waste bin, which we are offering for free on our DSNY website. But it's a win-win. It's a win for the environment. It's a win for rats. The program is simple and easy to use. We like to say if you cook it or you grow it, you can throw it.

Scotto: Okay, well, there's lots of changes in New York City that we're all kind of adjusting to. Mayor, we're hearing this morning you talked to Philip Banks and he has resigned. Did you ask him to resign? What is the situation behind that? He's your deputy mayor.

Mayor Adams:  No, not only a deputy mayor, he's a longtime friend. You know, he was the former chief of Department in New York City Police Department and he really understood public safety and has been a real dedicated, committed public servant. We spoke several months ago and he stated that, Eric, I'm ready to go. And I said, can you hang on to finish the ghost car initiative that he did with Commissioner Tisch, our cannabis initiatives? And so he did. And when we spoke over the weekend and last night, he said, Eric, I'm ready to put in my time. I wanna do something else with my life.

Scotto: So, mayor, this morning, New York Magazine came out, front cover, basically, last one out of City Hall, turn out the lights. They have like 20 of your people who've either been raided or forced to resign or fired. Now you add Philip Banks to the resignation list. I know that you say you are going to reign and not resign, but what are those conversations like with the governor right now?

Mayor Adams: You know, reigning against violence, affordable housing, crime, you know, that's what we want to continue to do. And the governor has always been a partner. She has really assisted. And as people leave, what they didn't include is how many people are coming in. People want to serve government. They know what this administration has done and what we're going to continue to do.

Bowens: Mr. Mayor, there was a poll over the weekend from Marist that 70 percent of New Yorkers want to see you resign given the corruption charges that you're facing now. What do you say to those New Yorkers who want you to resign?

Mayor Adams: Well, because they receive one side of the story. And, you know, when one read that one side of the story, you have a feeling that something was done improper. They're gonna hear the whole story. And while they're hearing the whole story, I'm going to continue to do what I have been doing. We brought this city so far from what I inherited in January 1st, 2022. We're gonna continue to do that.

Bowens: So many different strands of the story. I know you said that you've instructed members of your administration to cooperate with investigators yourself. You said you've cooperated. There was a report, though, that the FBI has been unable to crack your cell phone, that you said you forgot your password to that particular phone that you handed in. Is that true?

Mayor Adams: Well, what I'm not going to do, you know, I have attorneys that are handling every piece of that indictment, and I'm gonna listen to their instructions. All of that will be part of the conversation as this unfolds.

Scotto: As you know, the public advocate has been gearing up. Do you think he is up to being mayor of New York City?

Mayor Adams: I don't know if people realize being a mayor of this city is not something you can just gear up for. You better be prepared to handle many different aspects of it. And you have to stay focused. You know, life is complicated, and it throws you many twists and turns, but if you stay focused, you can get things done like we're announcing today. This is a huge initiative that we are announcing today, and it goes with so many of the other huge initiatives that we have put forth.

Scotto: Jessica Tisch, wondering if you're gonna stick it out. So many of the people in the administration are resigning. What are your plans?

Commissioner Tisch: Absolutely, Rosanna. We today are announcing or rolling out the largest change, the largest increase in New York City Sanitation service since we started recycling 20 years ago. And if that's not enough, next month we're doing something under the mayor's leadership that no mayor has done in over 50 years, which is get the residential trash into containers. These initiatives are sweeping and they're bold, and they wouldn't happen without the mayor's leadership.

Bowens: And they are important initiatives, no doubt about it, affecting so many New Yorkers. Getting back to some of the other issues, Mr. Mayor, we know that you've had conversations with the governor, and there are reports that she has asked you to remove or speed up, accelerate some of the resignations from within your office. Report that Sheena Wright, one of your top deputies, may be one of the next ones to resign. Is that true?

Mayor Adams: Every personnel change is done in a very organized manner. We make our proper notifications so speculations are around. Every time you are in government, we make those personnel announcements and we're gonna do it with every personnel we have. And again, I think lost in this conversation is that we have a list of people that want to come and serve in government. We don't have a shortage of that, and they're gonna continue to step up and serve the people of the city, and we're gonna lead them in the right direction.

Bowens: But Mr. Mayor, has she asked you to remove or to so-called clean house of anyone within your administration? She asked you that directly.

Mayor Adams: The governor is a partner. I cannot say that clearer and clearer. You know I never exchange private conversations I have with individuals. That's why people are comfortable to speak with me because they don't hear it later. She has been a partner and she has made this clear. Eric, I'm your partner to help you continue to do the success that we've done together.

Scotto: All right, so who can we expect taking over some of these positions? Because it looks like in the last few weeks, you've had almost 20 people resign.

Mayor Adams: Yeah, but keep in mind, I have over 300,000 employees.

Bowens: Mr. Mayor, we know that obviously you were expected to be in court a couple weeks from now, November 1st, and there are some New Yorkers who will say that it gives the appearance that things are out of control in the city, that if the mayor is having to be in court himself, that things are not in a good place. What do you say to those people?

Mayor Adams: Well, think about it. That is some of the noise you hear, but let's look at the numbers. We're seeing the numbers continue to decrease in crime, rolling out initiatives like this, continue to close our cannabis shop, continue to educate our children, continue to make sure that we're dealing with the rash of battery fires from FDNY. 

The city is moving forward, and that is the real claim that we should have. I was here in 9/11 when we saw our center of trade collapse, but 9/12, we got up and we handled our city, and we're gonna do it now as well.

Bowens: And we know over the weekend, have you talked to former Governor Paterson, who had a situation where he was assaulted by two young boys who are now facing charges? Have you had a chance to reach out to him at all?

Mayor Adams: Yes, I reached out twice. I know he was inundated with calls. My officers were at the hospital, and I'm going to touch base with him. A really unfortunate situation, particularly children involved in this level of violence. 

And if I can, I also want to draw attention to October 7th, something that we should recall. A year ago today, 1,200 people were massacred. And I will continue to say that Hamas must be destroyed, and every hostage should be returned home. And we will acknowledge today and commemorate the lives that were lost.

Scotto: Right, and I know the police are on alert this morning with protests and vigils all over New York City. Mayor, interesting a lot. Enough, a lot of people have said the mayor has lost his swagger. You seem like you're, not that you're tired, but you have a different appearance. How are you getting through this time? This has got to be very difficult, 24/7.

Mayor Adams: Oh, you know, whenever I'm dealing with a lot of things that are different from my normal day, I hit my exercise routine harder. I do my meditation and my breathing better. I make sure my food consumption is right. That's how you prepare your body when you're dealing with something that is different in your routine. 

But it's the same Eric, and whoever feels as though this city and this mayor doesn't continue to have the swagger of this great city called New York, they need to look, and we got a lot more coming. This is the greatest city on the globe, and every day I wake up proud to be the mayor of this city.

Bowens: We know October 7th, there are expected to be protests tonight, Columbia University, potentially throughout the entire city. People who are upset with the response from Israel over what happened, do they have the right to gather, to organize, to protest?

Mayor Adams: Protests are part of the American foundation. Everyone has the right to protest. You don't have a right to bring violence, destroy property, and in any way harm innocent people, and all of our hearts go out to all innocent people that's involved in the conflict that is playing out in the Middle East. And as we voice our concerns on both sides of this issue, we should do it peacefully. That is what we're calling for. You cannot disrupt the city in the process.

Scotto: I think a lot of people are concerned with, you know, obviously the vigils and the protests in New York City, surrounded by what could be coming down the pike for the Adams administration. 

You know, you have two brothers now who have resigned. David Banks has spoken out that he was upset last week that he was forced to resign. I guess, does that affect his pension? What happened behind the scenes on that one? Because he was expecting to resign at the end of December.

Mayor Adams I don't think that was the terminology that was used. I thought that was some of the creative journalism. I did not hear Chancellor Banks state that. I heard Chancellor Banks state that he's going to continue to help his handpicked successor to do a good job for the million children we have in the school system. He's a professional, and we knew it was better to allow the current incoming chancellor to have as much of the school year as possible, and not the end of the year. And that was the adjustment we made. And he's a professional, and he's going to give her the support she needs.

Scotto: And the mayor, you, at this point, you are ready to go the distance for New York City?

Mayor Adams: Yes, I am. I was elected. All my campaign promises, I say, look at those campaign promises, from dyslexia screening to bringing down crime, to building affordable housing, to containerizing our garbage and make this place where businesses can thrive. We have more businesses in the city history, more small businesses in the city history. And you're seeing a continuous movement in the right direction. And I'm not going to give up on New York. New York is not going to give up on me. They're going to see their mayor is going to serve them well.

Scotto: And politics. Do you think politics at all is playing a part in the indictments against you?

Mayor Adams: Listen, politics is a part of life. And I'm not going to speculate. All I can tell New Yorkers, when I'm finished with my public service, wait until you read my book. You're going to get a real peek at politics globally.

Bowens: I know, mayor, you have said, though, that the federal government came after you because of your stance on immigration. Do you still feel that way?

Mayor Adams: Listen, I said I was a target, a target I became. And every chapter of the book will go into exactly what I meant by that.

Scotto: All right. Mayor Eric Adams, thank you so much for being here. New York City Sanitation Commissioner Jessica Tisch, we appreciate it. And let's hope for the best in New York City. We appreciate you.

Mayor Adams: Thank you.