Gov. Cuomo Announces New Partnership With Mayoral Hopeful Eric Adams To Combat NYC Gun Violence
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- There has been a stunning rebuke of Mayor Bill de Blasio and the city's inability to stem the tide of gun violence.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Democratic mayoral contender Eric Adams joined forces to announce the first phase of a massive gun violence prevention program, CBS2's Marcia Kramer reported Wednesday.
De Blasio was an uninvited guest -- persona non grata -- as Cuomo unveiled his bromance with Adams. The governor said the Brooklyn borough president, a Democrat who has not even been elected mayor yet, is the man best able to restore safety to the streets of the city.
"He is going to be extraordinary," Cuomo said.
Cuomo said Adams has two key qualities that will enable him to get the job done.
"Courage and competence," the governor said.
The inference is that de Blasio, who has been unable to stop the gun violence for over a year, lacks those traits. In other words, the governor believes the mayor is incompetent and a wimp.
Adams, who never mentioned de Blasio by name, was critical of the situation in the city, which he said will impede its ability to recover from the pandemic.
"There's just a sense that we have a city where any and everything goes," Adams said.
After the press conference with Adams, Cuomo met with East Brooklyn community leaders to announce his gun violence prevention program.
It centers on:
- Creating 4,000 jobs for at-risk youth in gun violence hot spots
- Hiring violence interveners
- Expanding community services for mental health, substance abuse and family crisis intervention
The gun violence problem is so serious that when questions were raised about the governor's ethical problems, elected officials were furious that those topics were raised.
"If you are going to ask questions here today, please remain on topic because we are talking about communities that are in pain. We are talking about gunshots that are ringing," Assemblywoman Diana Richardson said.
Meanwhile, Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa was angry he wasn't invited, miffed at what he called the "coronation" of Adams before an election has taken place.
He was also dismissive of Cuomo's solutions.
"Continued hollow rhetoric about battling gun violence with absolutely no solutions," Sliwa said.
He also slammed Cuomo for saying there was a need for new mental health programs when the governor has drastically reduced mental health beds from 30,000 to 3,000.
"How is he not held culpable for that?" Sliwa said.
Sliwa was also upset that members of the Guardian Angels were not allowed into the meeting.
