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Dear New Yorkers,

Last night, news broke that Mayor Eric Adams has been indicted on federal charges. Sources told THE CITY that Adams is being charged with acting as an unregistered foreign agent for taking actions in his official capacity after receiving donations from foreign nationals.

More details about the charges should emerge once the indictment is unsealed, which is expected to be done in federal court today.

What happens to Adams now?

Even once indicted, there is no rule barring Adams from continuing to hold office. And the situation is unprecedented — Adams is the first sitting mayor in the city’s modern history to be indicted.

As the news of the indictment broke, he faced a slew of calls from opponents and left-leaning Democrats to step aside. But notably, some took a wait-and-see approach, like Gov. Kathy Hochul — who has the power to oust Adams, though the governor’s power to replace New York City’s mayor has never been used.

A spokesperson said the governor was “aware of these concerning news reports” and was “monitoring the situation,” but that it “would be premature to comment further until the matter is confirmed by law enforcement.”

Read more about the calls for Adams to step down — plus what would happen afterwards if he does or if he is forced out.

Weather scoop by New York Metro Weather Thursday's Weather Rating: 3/10. Not the kind of consistency we were looking for. Another cloudy, dreary day with periods of showers and storms. High temperatures are a bit warmer (in the upper 70s) but dew points are higher, too. The vibes are not great!

Our Other Top Stories

New York City will have a new schools chancellor on Jan. 1, reports Chalkbeat: Melissa Aviles-Ramos, who has worked in the public school system for nearly 40 years. She was announced by Adams yesterday, just one day after Chancellor David Banks said he would resign at the end of the year amid federal investigations — and hours before the  mayor was indicted. The “City of Yes” development plan championed by the mayor cleared the City Planning Commission before his indictment yesterday, on a vote of 10 to 3. The citywide zoning overhaul would aim to enable development of 100,000 new homes. Now, the City Council has two months to decide whether to approve it — or not. Yesterday, the MTA board approved a $68.4 billion blueprint for big-ticket upgrades in the transit agency’s new five-year capital program. Board members signed off unanimously, even though the governor’s congestion pricing pause left a $16.5 billion gap in the transit agency’s budget for big projects.

Things To Do

Here’s what’s going on around the city this week.

Saturday, Sept. 28: Climate Justice Lives Here! Festival 2024, which marks Climate Action Week and 10 years since the People’s Climate March while celebrating frontline community justice activists. Free from 2 to 7 p.m. at Pier 4, Brooklyn Army Terminal. Saturday, Sept. 28: A discussion with the curators about redefining “American art” in Queens. Free from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Queens Museum.  Sunday, Sept. 29: The ARTMAGEDDON Art & Music Festival, featuring more than 200 local artists and bands. Free from 12 to 6 p.m. in Flatbush, Brooklyn.

THE KICKER: Ya gotta believe: Single-game postseason tickets for the Mets go on sale at 10 a.m. today.

Thanks, as always, for reading. Make it a great Thursday.

Love,

THE CITY

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