Vital City Panel Debates Eric Adams’ Political Future
(AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Vital City is a journal and website housed at Columbia University. The journal recently hosted the "City Hall on the Brink" panel, which discussed the fallout from the federal government’s decision to dismiss its own prosecution of Mayor Eric Adams—a move that has thrown New York City's government into uncertainty.
The discussion was moderated by Harry Siegel, editor at THE CITY and a contributing writer for Vital City, featured a lineup of legal and political experts grappling with key questions: Who is really running the show? Can Adams survive a potential re-election bid in 2025? And what comes next in both the courts and public perception?
The event opened with remarks from Jelani Cobb, dean of the Columbia Journalism School, before an in-depth panel discussion with Jeffrey Toobin, contributing opinion writer for The New York Times; Dana Rubinstein, a New York Times reporter covering New York politics; Daniel Richman, Columbia Law professor and former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York; and Shontell Smith, a partner at Tusk Strategies.
Together, the panelists examined the legal, political, and strategic dimensions of Adams’ predicament, as he finds himself caught between his loyalty to the city and mounting federal scrutiny.
WFUV’s Andrew McDonald has a recap.
