Dan Mannarino: We're addressing that along with other topics affecting New Yorkers with Mayor Eric Adams and First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro who are joining us now. So great to have both of you with us this morning. Good to see you.
Mayor Eric Adams: Good to be on. It's good to see you both.
First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro: Glad to be here. Pleasure always.
Mannarino: Yes. Randy, long time no see since I saw you Friday. Let's begin with public safety, right? We have the United Nations General Assembly taking place, the protests that come along with it, the Jewish High Holidays all at once. How's it looking for this week ahead?
Mayor Adams: Looks great. And this is what we do. No one does it better. The men and women of the NYPD collaborating with our federal partners to make sure we identify any threat, activate our manpower to ensure that we ensure the safety of New Yorkers.
So I think these are some simple tips. Number one, those who are celebrating the Jewish holiday, we're saying do that with your families. We are going to keep the city safe. And to those who are commuting in the city, this is going to be a gridlock. So please use public transportation. We're going to be introducing our drones, our other on the ground enforcement to make sure we can move those leaders in and out of the city safely.
Sanchez: Yeah. But, the bottom line is there are no credible threats against the city right now. Correct?
Mayor Adams: No, not at all. No credible threats. But you always have to stay vigilant.
Sanchez: Of course. Well, we want to talk about some big news items this morning, one being the casino bids. Both Manhattan bids shot down. The Mayor's Office had voted yes, as did the governor. So what did you think of the vote and where do you see it getting approved?
First Deputy Mayor Mastro: So, disappointed in the vote last week. Unfortunately, the way this was structured at the state legislative level was to give too much weight to local elected officials. The mayor supports advancing the city's casino proposals. We have them throughout the city in the different boroughs because there's a limited number of casino licenses and there are billions of dollars at stake, thousands of jobs at stake, tourism multiplied as a result.
So, it's unfortunate what happened last week. In fact, it shouldn't have happened. We're confident that other proposals in the city, including the one on the far east side now, the ones in Queens, the one in the Bronx, the Coney Island proposal in Brooklyn, that many, if not all of those proposals will go through to the final round, because that's good for New York City. It's good for the local economy and jobs and tourism and it's good for these communities in which these casinos will be located.
Mannarino: Thank you for that. And last week, you mentioned using your authority, Mr. Mayor, to review school bathroom policies when it comes to transgender students. And, just to go through the timeline for folks at home, the Trump administration sent a letter on Tuesday about changing bathroom policies to certain school districts in the country, New York being one of them, and threatened to withhold $35 million in money. Then Wednesday, you come out with your comments. So was it in response to that letter from the Trump administration?
Mayor Adams: No, I haven't talked about this for quite some time. And people say, “Well, is it that you're responding to what the president stated?” No, I'm responding to what my mother stated. Little boys should not be sharing bathroom showers with little girls. I don't know why this is complicated.
And so, when I did an analysis of our city and state laws, I don't have the authority to change it. If I did, I will change it. But I think this is a conversation we have to have. We're losing mainstream Democrats because of the radical left that has really hijacked not only the narrative, but have hijacked our party. And there's going to be long term repercussions because of this.
And I don't know what parent of a little girl would be comfortable with a boy walking into the shower where their baby is. I'm just not going to support that. And I think it's wrong. And Governor Newsom has also been criticized for his position of boys playing girls sports.
Mannarino: I think it was the timing, right? Because you had four years to do so. So why a day after the letter? Could you see how it might come as a coincidence?
Mayor Adams: No, I don't. Any time I voice my concern on something is automatically tied to President Trump. I'm the mayor of the City of New York. And I have to protect not only physically the residents of the city, but also morally. What are we doing in our city that we are allowing these policies to impact and confuse our children? Our children are confused based on the actions of adults. This is wrong.
Sanchez: But like you said, you don't have the authority to change it. So how do you see you making any headway with that?
Mayor Adams: Well, you do what we always do. Remember, I didn't have the authority to do any type of reform to the bail law. But I went back up to Albany and advocated for the people of this city. I didn't have the authority to give me mayoral accountability, but I went and did that. Now that I know what laws need to be changed, I'm going to speak to working class people and parents and say it's time for us to go to Albany, look at these laws and see how they are impacting and confusing our young people.
Mannarino: Mr. Mayor, when you were Brooklyn borough president, you said that Borough Hall needed to reflect the needs of every person, regardless of their gender identity, as in all government buildings in the five boroughs. So, were you talking about just schools or are you kind of changing your position from when you were borough president?
Mayor Adams: No. Same position. Think about this for a moment. When you go to restaurants right now, you see both bathrooms, for men and women. It was wrong that women had to wait on lines longer than men. So now you have the ability for you to use the same bathroom, a man or woman. You're not doing it at the same time.
Think about what I'm talking about. What mother is comfortable with a male walking into the shower area of their daughter? What mother is comfortable with that? I'm not. And to sit back and try to be politically correct while we're creating these unsafe environments for our children, we need to start speaking to mainstream Democrats with common sense. And I'm just a common sense person. And you know, I'll take the criticism of it for being so.
Sanchez: Mr. Mayor, we're going to switch gears. You've called on horse drawn carriages. You've called them incompatible with today's Central Park. So, what ultimately convinced you that now is the time to support a full ban? Why now?
Mayor Adams: Watching, you know, those who covered me know how I feel about public safety. Watching that horse run wildly throughout streets and thinking about what is it going to take for us to realize that this is no longer compatible with a densely populated city like New York? How could I live in good conscience if that carriage, if that horse would have struck a family member, a child, an elder?
It's just wrong right now. And it's time to do what's right. And we're doing it in a compassionate way. You know, as Randy would say, both our hearts and our brains, we are willing to use electric vehicles. We're willing to see about purchasing medallions. We're willing to find other jobs. We're using compassion. The animals should not be going through this. And we should not continue to put New Yorkers in an unsafe environment.
Mannarino: Again, it's about timing, right? So, first deputy mayor, do you feel you have the council’s support to go along with this? Ryder's Law has kind of been in the council now for some time.
First Deputy Mayor Mastro: I feel we have a majority in the council that wants to do this. If the speaker would just give the bill a hearing and a vote, this bill will pass. Look at– the mayor is meeting the moment. Now every mayoral candidate has come out, you know, and says, “Oh, yeah, we support it, too.”
The 70 percent of New Yorkers support phasing out and banning this industry as a matter of public safety and the safety of these animals. So, Madam Speaker, give it a hearing, give it a vote, because most New Yorkers and most of your members want to see this industry phased out and banned.
Sanchez: Alright, speaking about getting the city’s support, Mr. Mayor, you're still behind in the polls as far as the mayor's race is concerned. So, you know, people would think you'd be out trying to get support. You were not at the African-American Day Parade. Why were you not there?
Mayor Adams: Well, you know, unlike the other candidates in the race, I have a day job. I know sometimes people forget that. And running for reelection is both out front and also behind the scene, putting strategies in place. And that's been extremely challenging for me because for the last six, seven weeks, every other day, you know, the media has been announcing “Eric is leaving tomorrow. Eric is leaving tomorrow. Eric is going to Saudi Arabia.”
You know what that does for my fundraising? I have been undermined in the last seven, eight weeks and constantly stating just unforced rumors. People have me going to Washington, to the Yankee game over and over. No matter how much I say, no, that's not true. It's been reported anyway. And so I'm not only running against Curtis and Zohran and Andrew–
Mannarino: You think you're not getting money because of the media?
Mayor Adams: I'm not only running against Curtis, Zora, and Andrew, I'm running against you guys. Y'all have been my sixth candidate. Let me run for re-election without porting false rumors.
Here's what I'm saying, Dan. I was asked, was I going to the Yankees game to meet with the president? I said, no. They wrote it anyway, Eric is going to the Yankees game to meet the president. I was asked, was I offered to be the ambassador of [Saudi Arabia]? I said, no, they wrote it all anyway. Was I going to HUD? I said, no, they wrote it anyway. So, when I go to my supporters and those who are raising money for me, they say, “Eric, we keep hearing you're leaving the race tomorrow.” This isn't going on for seven weeks. I'm being undermined.
Mannarino: Okay, I hear what you're saying. So, let's put it to bed. You said in a recent interview that it's your desire to stay in the race. So, does that mean that we can put this to bed, that you will definitively stay in the race until November, and that the question of you exiting the race can be put to bed?
I walk around the city. The other day, I heard from a New Yorker who said, is he in the race? Is he not in the race? So, can you put it to bed right now? I know you said you wanted to finish the job.
Mayor Adams: No, I can't put it to bed, because you're not going to let me go to sleep. Who are we kidding, Dan? I've answered this question over and over again. And that's why New Yorker are saying, “Well, is he still in the race?” Because no matter how I respond, it has been reported differently. I am being undermined by the media.
Mannarino: So, let's put it to bed. Do it right now.
Mayor Adams: I said it over and over again, Dan, over and over again. It's serving no purpose. I'm going to run my race the way I've always run my race. And you asked me this seven weeks ago. You remember that, when you asked me seven weeks ago, and I responded? You said, “Eric, they said you're leaving in three days.” And I said, no, Dan, that is not true. I responded. And what happened, Dan? Did it solve the problem? Did it go to bed, Dan? No, it did not.
Mannarino: Okay Mr. Mayor, we'll leave it there. I appreciate your time.
Mayor Adams: I appreciate you too.
Mannarino: Even though, apparently, we're running against you, the media. Mr. Mayor, Randy Mastro, good to see you, as always.
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