Leading mayoral contender Eric Adams accepted the backing of prominent civil rights leader Norman Siegel on Monday.
“He cares about the people in the city especially the powerless, especially the marginalized, and so do I. We’ve shared that for more than three decades” said Siegel, former head of the New York Civil Liberties Union, at a press conference with Adams in Harlem.
Siegel’s endorsement comes as Adams is trying to show he’ll be both tough on crime but also sympathetic to social justice issues if he wins the June 22 Democratic primary.
Adams, a former NYPD captain, previously won the backing of police brutality victim Abner Louima and the father of police shooting victim Sean Bell.
He and Siegel, along with Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, authored a 2015 report about improving police and community relations that included recommendations to train NYPD cops on the appropriate use of controversial stop and frisk procedures.
Eric Adams greeting supporters in Manhattan on May 24, 2021. G.N.Miller/NYPostBoth said Monday they still support stop and frisk — if it’s used in a constitutionally-appropriate manner, or only when an officer has a “reasonable suspicion” of criminal activity.
“Yes it’s a risk, but the balance to get guns off the streets and save people’s lives, I think it’s a risk worth taking,” Siegel said.
New York state Sen. John Liu endorsing Andrew Yang for mayor on May 24, 2021. Stefan JeremiahAdams added that the NYPD should more closely track officers who misuse stop and frisk tactics by searching suspects based on their race. Those officers could be held in criminal or civil contempt, Siegel noted.
Meanwhile Monday, fellow race front-runner Andrew Yang won the backing of state Sen. John Liu, with the two appearing at a City Hall Park rally in Lower Manhattan to shore up Asian American support.
Yang shaking hands with Liu after receiving the endorsement. Stefan Jeremiah“I said to John, and l say to you all today, I am going to finish the job that John Liu started and become the first Asian American mayor in the history of New York City,” Yang said, noting that the Queens Democrat was the first Asian American to hold citywide office when he was elected comptroller in 2009.
Yang also briefly addressed crime at the Liu endorsement, but didn’t offer any solutions for the problem.
“Thirty people were shot over this past weekend. I met with a victim of violence just yesterday. It is unacceptable what is happening in our city. We need a change,” Yang said.
