1-on-1 with Mayor Eric Adams after sanctions: Watch

NEW YORK - Embattled New York City Mayor Eric Adams is speaking out for the first time since being sanctioned by Governor Kathy Hochul.

In an exclusive interview with FOX 5 NY's Morgan McKay, Adams addressed the latest on his criminal case fallout from Gracie Mansion. 

"I did nothing wrong. I didn't commit a crime. I'm not going to commit a crime so I don't have to look over my shoulders. I made it clear this was an overreach, overzealous prosecution," Adams said. 

With his political future now uncertain, Adams faces heightened pressure, as both the Department of Justice and Hochul appear to intensify their focus on his leadership.

This marks the mayor's first public remarks since the sanctions were imposed. 

Watch the exclusive interview in the media player above.

What has Adams said so far?

The backstory:

A federal judge has appointed a former U.S. solicitor general to review the Justice Department’s move to drop charges against Adams. The decision will determine whether the case is dismissed with or without prejudice, the latter allowing for charges to be refiled in the future.

"The wheels of justice grind slow, but exceedingly fine, Dr. King once stated, and I have a great, competent legal team," Adams said in his FOX 5 interview. "We just got the information, and they're going to look over it."

Adams also confirmed that his security clearance has been revoked. preventing him from receiving high level security briefings.

This comes as seven prosecutors have resigned in protest, including Manhattan's top federal prosecutor, who quit rather than follow the DOJ's directive to drop the case.

What they're saying:

Adams dismissed any allegations of wrongdoing and also expressed frustration that the Justice Department moved to drop the charges against him without prejudice, which leaves open the possibility of reinstatement. 

"Would I have hoped for something with prejudice or even a full pardon? Yes," he said.

When questioned about allegations of a quid pro quo in exchange for the case dismissal, Adams was firm: "I swore under oath in court, under the threat of perjury, that nothing was told to me or promised to me."

Adams is currently under investigation after being indicted in September, facing accusations of accepting over $100,000 in illegal campaign contributions and travel perks from a Turkish official and business leaders seeking to influence him during his tenure as Brooklyn Borough President. As he confronts legal challenges, Adams also faces multiple contenders in the upcoming Democratic primary in June.

Despite the accusations, Adams has consistently denied any wrongdoing and confirmed his intention to run for re-election in 2025 as the incumbent Democratic candidate.

Hochul implements oversight

Dig deeper:

Gov. Hochul has decided to implement increased oversight of Adams and City Hall through new legislative measures aimed at reestablishing public trust.

Hochul outlined a series of actions she plans to take:

1. Establishing a new inspector general role at the state level, in direct communication with the NYC Department of Investigation (DOI), which monitors City Hall and municipal employees.
2. Empowering the City Council and City Comptroller to take legal action against the federal government using independent lawyers, instead of relying on the city’s corporation counsel.
3. Strengthening the role of the State Comptroller to increase oversight of the city’s financial transactions.

Additionally, the City Comptroller, City Council Speaker, and Public Advocate will be authorized to initiate legal proceedings as part of the expanded oversight efforts.

The plan, she says, will be in effect until the end of 2025, and is subject to renewal. 

Adams pushed back against the new oversight measures, saying "There's no legal reason to put these guardrails in place. New Yorkers need to understand that I'm still running the day-to-day operations of the city."