A whopping 71% of Adams’ own Democratic Party think Hizzoner should call it quits — and 80% think he shouldn’t run for office again, according to the Marist New York City Poll, the first since the mayor was indicted.
If he does stick to his word and fight the charges, nearly two-thirds of voters — 63% — believe Gov. Kathy Hochul should tap her rarely used power as governor to force him to step down, the poll shows.
“It’s hard to imagine how Mayor Adams could be faring any worse in the court of public opinion,” said Dr. Lee Miringoff, director of the Marist Institute for Public Opinion behind the poll
“Not only do New York City residents think he has done something illegal, but they think he should resign or have Governor Hochul start the process of removing him from office.”
The poll is the first to be published since the embattled mayor pleaded not guilty last week to conspiracy, wire fraud and bribery charges in the historic case.
Prosecutors have alleged Adams, who is the first sitting New York City mayor to be criminally indicted, accepted improper gifts from Turkish officials and businesspeople — including $123,000 in free or heavily discounted hotels and flights — dating back to his time as the Brooklyn borough president a decade ago.
In exchange for the apparent freebies, Adams coughed up favors — including pressuring city officials to push through speedy approvals for the Turkish Consulate in Manhattan, the court papers charge.
He also fraudulently obtained $10 million in matching public campaign funds via straw donors from foreign sources, the feds allege.
The Marist poll was conducted among 1,073 New York City adult residents between Sept. 30 and Oct. 1. It was unclear if those polled were registered or considered likely voters.
The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.6 percentage points.