Is state Sen. Eric Adams hiding?
Adams (D–Crown Heights) — the frontrunner to replace term-limited Borough President Markowitz — missed a scheduled appearance at the Bay Ridge Democrats club on May 9, a day after court documents revealed he was one of eight Democratic state senators under investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Adams was due to give his pitch to the Bay Ridge club, which was considering endorsing him for borough president. Club leaders said they repeatedly reached out to Adams’s camp before and during the meeting to be sure he was coming, but received no answer.
“They’re just ignoring us,” one member said.
Other members said they were shocked to find out that Adams was one of the legislators disgraced state Sen. Shirley Huntley (D–Queens) secretly recorded last summer at the behest of the Federal Bureau of Investigations.
“Eric Adams? No way!” said Bob Hudock, who also sits on Community Board 10.
The former cop denied wrongdoing to the Albany Times Union.
Club president Justin Brannan said the group would decide on its endorsements next month, but would not comment on how Adams’ absence might influence its vote.
Adams’s only opponent in the race is Dyker Heights attorney John Gangemi, who served as councilman-at-large for the borough in the 1970s.
Federal prosecutors have put their crosshairs on Albany in recent months, announcing a number of bribery charges against state officials including state Sen. Malcolm Smith (D–Queens) and Assemblyman Eric Stevenson (D–Bronx). In addition, Councilman Dan Halloran (R–Queens) was charged with accepting bribes. State Sen. John Sampson (D–Flatlands) has turned himself in to the FBI to face charges of embezzelment and obstruction of justice.
Reach reporter Will Bredderman at wbredderman@cnglocal.com or by calling (718) 260-4507. Follow him attwitter.com/WillBredderman.
