ALBANY, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) — Eric Adams made his first journey to Albany on Monday as mayor and pushed for bail reform, citing the latest crime, the murder of a 35-year-old woman of Asian descent.
CBS2’s Marcia Kramer was within the state capital because the mayor tried to make use of his expertise as a state senator to win assist for his initiatives.
READ MORE: NYPD Investigating Killing Of Woman In Chinatown Building
You needed to be fleet of foot to maintain up with Adams as he raced across the capital to satisfy with the lawmakers he must approve a lot of his asks. He needs each cash and adjustments to the felony justice legal guidelines. However prime of thoughts was the incident in Chinatown.
“It’s horrific. It angered me, in addition to all New Yorkers,” Adams mentioned.
Watch: Mayor Eric Adams Speaks In Albany
Since Adams was in Albany, partly to hunt tweaks to the bail reform legal guidelines, Kramer requested him if Assamad Nash, the man arrested in the Chinatown case, was the poster baby for bail reform. He had three open instances, together with assault and possession of stolen property.
“He’s a poster individual for a failing system that create crises with a downstream mindset. We have to actually study what occurred right here,” Adams mentioned. “He ought to haven’t been on the streets.”
Nice to be again in Albany to work facet by facet with Chief @AndreaSCousins and Speaker @CarlHeastie to #GetStuffDone on crime, the economic system and each problem going through New York Metropolis. pic.twitter.com/9kGg6iLnre
— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) February 14, 2022
When Kramer requested Adams about getting the Legislature to assist bail reform, he equivocated.
“I’m optimistic of the power that we’re going to deliver collectively to ensure we cease the feeders of crime and ensure our metropolis is secure,” Adams mentioned.
However when Kramer requested Meeting Speaker Carl Heastie about bail reform, he mentioned it was open to discussions however is afraid that each horrible crime, just like the Chinatown stabbing, will likely be used to push an agenda the Legislature may not be capable to assist.
“I don’t need to get into this backwards and forwards. Sadly, you’re making an attempt to say if we hadn’t carried out this. What occurred to that lady was a horrible, horrible tragedy,” Heastie mentioned. “The whole lot that individuals discover is irritating to them about what’s happening, it’s simply really easy guilty bail reform. And I don’t suppose that does any of us an excellent service if we’re actually making an attempt to get to the options.”
Adams met along with Heastie and Senate Majority Chief Andrea Stewart-Cousins to resolve town’s points, however he mentioned whether or not he will get bail reform adjustments or not, he nonetheless has to maintain town secure.
“I nonetheless have the duty to maintain town secure. That’s why we’re putting in our Anti-Gun Unit,” Adams mentioned. “I can’t flip round and say, nicely, I didn’t get assist from completely different locations so now my metropolis isn’t secure. Nope. I’m not accepting that. We’re going to have a secure metropolis.”
The mayor is an previous Albany hand. He was a state senator for eight years. However when requested if he would get all the pieces he needs from the Legislature, he resorted to an Adams-ism. He mentioned even if you happen to discover ways to experience a motorcycle, it’s a must to keep in mind methods to stability.
The mayor additionally needs Albany to extend the revenue tax credit score and the variety of psychiatric beds for psychological well being sufferers.
