It’s not precisely a people-powered campaign.
NYC Council Speaker Adrienne Adams’ agelong changeable mayoral bid is getting a financial boost from a bevy of pols, metropolis workers and those doing business pinch City Hall — prompting critics to impeach nan Queens Democrat of leveraging her station to bolster her governmental ambitions.
Adams raised $126,033 during nan first week of her campaign, of which $13,348 – aliases 10.5% — was pocketed done 62 donations from elected metropolis officials and their staff; metropolis workers, and lobbyists and different operatives pinch business earlier nan city, according to her latest run filings.
Many of nan contributions are $250 aliases little and expected to yet suffice for an 8-to-1 taxpayer-funded lucifer — apt bringing her early haul from these bureaucrats and different bigwigs to much than $50,000.
It’s nan extremity of nan iceberg arsenic nan lawmaker moves up pinch her campaign, critics contend.
“The truth that she can’t raise grassroots money and, instead, relies connected lobbyists, metropolis contractors and elected officials tells you precisely who’ll she’ll service if she’s elected – and it’s not nan people,” said Curtis Sliwa, nan presumptive Republican mayoral nominee.
The Guardian Angels laminitis besides accused nan speaker of having a history of catering to “special interests” groups.
“If this isn’t criminal it should be,” said lawyer Jim Walden, who is besides moving for politician arsenic an independent. “…This is why everyone is sick and tired of profession politics.”
Adams’ donations see a mixed $2,303 from far-left Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and 7 Democratic assembly members that could swell to much than $14,000 if nan speaker qualifies for matching costs arsenic she expects to later this spring.
Twenty-one donations came from City Council unit and different metropolis employees, totaling $2,185, and 25 came from metropolis lobbyists totaling $6,760.
The speaker — who is not related to her governmental rival Mayor Eric Adams — had a run warfare thorax of $276,256 arsenic of March 13, including $211,404 she transferred from her erstwhile assembly campaign.
Council members’ early desire to boost her mayoral tally is reciprocal.
Speaker Adams doled retired $1,000 donations to a immense mostly of nan 51-member council’s governmental campaigns a fewer years agone — an unprecedented move that helped her support nan activity post, The Post reported successful January 2023.
Adams’ spokesperson Lupe Todd-Medina defended nan donations.
“You tin show a batch astir a campaigner by who backs them,” Todd-Medina said, citing reports of mayoral frontrunner Andrew Cuomo collecting tens of thousands of dollars from donors and associates of President Donald Trump.
“That’s nan quality betwixt a nationalist servant who’s successful it for nan group — and a profession leader who’s only successful it for power,” she added.