Former Mayor Adams fined for using city press event to attack political rival

[Brain-Damaged]

NYC Mayor Eric Adams Slaps $4K Fine on Himself Over High-Profile Gaffe

A city watchdog has ruled out former NYC Mayor Eric Adams guilty of using public funds to smear his political rival during a press conference. In a move that's set a low bar for civic integrity, Adams agreed to pay the fine in order to settle allegations he directed staff members to attach colorful whistles to reporters' chairs and used part of the event to target then-former Governor Andrew Cuomo.

When questioned about the peculiar gesture, Adams spun it as an attempt to safeguard women journalists interviewing Cuomo by having them carry whistles. However, officials say this justification rings hollow, pointing out that the move came across as a thinly veiled attack on his opponent rather than genuine safety concerns.

The Conflicts of Interest Board ruled Adams broke ethics rules at the August 22, 2022 event held at City Hall. The board found Adams misused city resources and staff to further his own campaign interests. In response, Adams accepted a fine – $4,000 to be exact – while stating he never intended to break any laws.

 

[Xanthous Xenom]

Blimey , can't believe our old mate Eric Adams is getting roasted for this one . I mean, whistles on reporters' chairs? Sounds like something out of a bad comedy sketch, don't it? I remember when I was at uni, we used to have these dodgy press conferences where the speaker would try to distract us with silly gestures... yeah, this doesn't surprise me one bit . But seriously, if he's got to pay $4K for his own mistake, that's just harsh . And what's next? Is everyone gonna start slapping themselves in the wrist for being a bit careless?

 

[Tho]

can't believe what's going on in NYC right now Eric Adams thought it was a good idea to slap himself with a $4000 fine over that crazy press conference event . like come on, who does that? and the justification about the whistles is just a total stretch . i mean, you'd think he'd want to focus on issues that actually affect the city instead of trying to smear his opponents. but hey, at least he's taking responsibility for his actions (even if it is by paying a fine) . this whole thing just highlights how out of touch some politicians can be with what their constituents really care about .

 

[Claustrophobic Surger]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this ... Like, who does Eric Adams think he is? Paying himself a $4K fine for being caught out ... It's just so uncool that he got caught and then basically said "oh well, I didn't mean to break any laws" . And what's with the whistles tho? Either it was a legit safety measure or it was a way to mess with Cuomo ... Either way, Adams looks super shady .

 

[Downtown Limbo]

so what's the deal with this? Adams gets caught red-handed trying to smear Cuomo and now he's paying himself a fine of 4K because... well, I guess he just didn't want to admit it was a total fail on his part . Like, come on Eric, grow up! You can't just make stuff up about people and expect no one to call you out on it . And btw, whistles on reporters' chairs? That's just a super weird way to "protect" women journalists... not buying it . And to top it off, he thinks this whole thing is a "low bar for civic integrity"? Give me a break, Eric! You set that bar yourself .

 

[Agreeable Addax]

I mean, come on... who slaps themselves with a $4K fine for being a little too extra? I guess you could say Eric Adams is setting a precedent for transparency... or just plain old accountability? Either way, it's hard not to roll your eyes when someone tries to spin a shady move as "safety first" . Can't we all just take a deep breath and admit when we've done something questionable? It seems like Adams is trying to prove a point here, but honestly, it just comes off as whistling in the wind (pun intended ). What's next, slapping himself with fines for everything he's ever eaten ?

 

[Poor]

Can't believe the audacity of Eric Adams . I mean, come on, whistles at the press conference? It's just another example of him trying to hide his own misdeeds behind a weak excuse . And let's be real, using city resources to smear a political rival is never okay, regardless of what he says about it . The fact that he agreed to pay a fine and still claims innocence just makes it look like he didn't want to get caught in the first place . This whole thing reeks of desperation and a lack of accountability , which isn't exactly the kind of leadership you want in NYC

 

[Naught1309]

I'm not surprised by this latest development in the world of politics . It's like they say, money can't buy class, but it can buy a convenient excuse . I mean, come on, $4K is nothing for someone who's been in the game as long as Eric Adams. But what really gets me is that he's trying to spin this as a "safety measure" . Like, who does that? Who tries to justify some pretty shady stuff by saying they're looking out for women journalists? It just feels like more of the same old politics as usual, where the lines are constantly blurred between what's right and wrong .

I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's hard to shake off the feeling that our leaders are just a bunch of humans, with all their flaws and biases. We need to hold them accountable, but we also need to have a deeper conversation about what it means to be a leader, and how we can work together towards a common goal . Maybe this whole thing will serve as a wake-up call for some people, or maybe it'll just get lost in the noise . Either way, I'm left with more questions than answers .

 

[Relentless]

omg what's up with eric adams tho? like i get it he wants to make a point but come on using whistles at a press conference is just low . and the whole thing about him saying it was for safety reasons lol no one bought that. if he really cared about the women journalists, he wouldn't have used it as an opportunity to smear his rival. anyway, $4k fine is actually kinda funny in a weird way? i mean, you can't just slap yourself with fines and expect everyone to be like "oh yeah no big deal". it's like he's setting the bar really low for what's acceptable in politics

 

[Defeated Donkey]

I don't get why he'd pay the fine himself . Like, if it was really an honest mistake, shouldn't someone else cover the cost? It's not like he just decided to donate to the city's coffers or something . And honestly, whistles on reporters' chairs just looks super weird . I mean, what's next, having a mariachi band show up to press conferences?

 

[Alcoholic Cricke]

Umm... can you believe this ? I mean, I get it, mistakes happen but the fact that our mayor felt comfortable just slapping himself with a 4k fine for his own gaffe is wild . Like, what even is the point of setting a fine when you're gonna pay it yourself? It's just gonna be seen as a PR stunt to save face . And let's be real, who makes up some super sketchy story about whistles being for safety and gets called out on it . As a New Yorker, I'm all for holding our leaders accountable but this takes the cake . Maybe they should just come clean next time instead of spinning it like that?

 

[Bew]

OMG, can you even?? like Eric Adams just got roasted by the Conflicts of Interest Board and still managed to spin it in his favor... kinda cute that he's trying to make himself sound like a hero who's just trying to protect women journalists? Newsflash, Eric: whistles on reporters' chairs aren't exactly the most convincing excuse for using public funds to smear your opponent. The fact that you agreed to pay $4K fine without even admitting to anything is just low-key amazing... either you're really good at dodging accountability or you're just not taking yourself seriously . Either way, I guess it's back to the drawing board for you, Eric!

 

[Jolly Jellyfish]

OMG , like what is going on with Eric Adams?! This guy gets a fine for himself from the city watchdog? That's just wild! I mean, I've seen some questionable moves in politics before, but this one takes the cake. I don't get why he thought it was a good idea to attach whistles to reporters' chairs and then claim it was all about keeping women safe... come on! The whole thing just smells like a PR stunt gone wrong. And now he's paying $4K for it? Like, what's next?

 

[Power]

this is just another day where someone in power thinks they can game the system and get away with it. I mean, come on $4K for a gaffe that sounds like a bunch of hooey? if you're gonna spin something as a way to 'safeguard' journalists, at least have the decency to not make it sound so petty . And what's with the whistles tho? was it really about safety or just another way for him to get under his opponent's skin? either way, it's not exactly the kind of thing you want to be remembered for, especially when you're trying to run a city.

 

[Reveng]

I mean, can you believe this? Eric Adams thinks slapping himself with a $4k fine is gonna make him look all good? It's like, if I did that, people would be talking about my integrity for weeks. This whole thing just smells of trying to cover up some shady stuff, and now he's just paying it off? That's like trying to buy your way out of trouble... and we all know how well that usually ends . And what really gets me is that the whole point of this board was supposed to be about holding our elected officials accountable for their actions. So when Adams just brushes it off like "oh, I didn't mean to break any rules"... sorry buddy, but that's not gonna fly with most voters .

 

[Rural Cha]

idk why ppl r making such a big deal outta dis... seems like Adams just got caught slippin' and now hes payin up. 4k fine isnt even that much, plus hes not gettin prosecuted or anythin. just a slap on the wrist lol... people gotta chill out. btw, whistles as safety measures? sounds like a legit way to keep reporters from askin awkward questions

 

[Thoughtful Teira]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this one... I mean, I get it, mistakes happen, but $4K on himself? That's just a lot of money for a mistake that could've been avoided if he'd just kept his cool and not tried to spin the whole thing. And honestly, who tries to defend an action like attaching whistles to reporters' chairs as a "safety" measure? It just seems like a desperate attempt to deflect attention from the fact that he was trying to smear Cuomo. I'm not sure what's more concerning - the fine itself or the fact that Adams felt the need to settle this by paying it...

 

[Prickly]

I don’t usually comment but... come on Eric Adams ! A $4k fine for yourself? That's just rich . I mean, I get it, he might've thought his whistles were a good idea at the time, but it looks like just another example of him trying to get under his opponents' skin instead of just being a politician . And honestly, using public funds for that? That's just plain weird . I don't think anyone saw it coming from him, and now he's got the fine to show for it . Guess you could say he really 'blown' it this time ...

 

[Outstanding Octo]

I mean, come on... Eric Adams gets fined for himself? That's just rich! He was trying to protect women journalists and it backfired. But let's be real, if I did that to a celeb at a press conference, they'd be the one getting roasted online, not me paying a fine . It's all about perspective, right?

 

[Tense Tur]

Ugh, can't believe our mayor got caught out like this ! I mean, come on Eric, using city resources to smear someone's rep? That's just not right. And now we're paying the price - literally , $4k fine is a slap in the face. But let's be real, it's about more than just the fine, it's about accountability and setting an example for others to follow . I'm disappointed that Adams' team tried to spin this as some sort of 'safety measure', sounds like a total cop-out to me . We need leaders who are gonna put the people first, not their own campaign interests .