Eric Adams is one of New York’s 20 most influential politicians of the past 20 years. See the full list.
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Eric Adams learned the ways of New York City as a young cop, riding the subways late at night on patrol. Curtis Sliwa was there too, in his own uniform.
Several decades later, after running for mayor against each other – twice – the Guardian Angel is still riding the rails every night. “I LIVE on the subways,” he said. “That’s why a lot of the Gen Zers call me the night mayor. Because I’m nocturnal.”
So City & State joined Sliwa on the No. 2 train to the No. 4 train, past 10 p.m., to reminisce about Adams. Sliwa insisted we ride to Brownsville, Brooklyn – where the mayor clobbered Sliwa in 2021. “This was his stomping grounds,” Sliwa said. “Yeah, he was godly.”
And while Sliwa patrolled car to car, greeted like a celebrity with selfie requests, we talked about their parallel lives, why he loved Adams’ bedroom search video and the worst thing he ever did. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Do you remember the first time that you heard the name Eric Adams?
Yeah, I ran into him! He was a supporter of the Guardian Angels. He wrote an op-ed piece in the Daily News. He said, “When I first would shape up, the desk sergeant in the transit police precinct would tell us new rookies: ‘Do you see these guys in the red berets? Get them out of the system. Harass them. Arrest them. Whatever you got to do, they’re a nuisance.’” And he wrote in the piece, “Nah.” Me and the new recruits – that was when the academy was over on like 20th, 21st (Street) – he said we weren’t going to do that. And it was true. I’d run into him from time to time.
Then when he was borough president, I’d run into him often because I was with (former Queens Borough President) Melinda Katz at that time. All five of the borough presidents would have meetings. I’d have conversations with him. Very affable, but also very guarded. There were two Eric Adamses.
Adams came up riding the trains. Did that prepare him to be a politician?
I think so. But I think, remember at that time he was riding the wave, he was associating with (the Rev. Al) Sharpton. He was hanging out on Atlantic Avenue with Rev. (Herbert Daughtry). So he was getting mentored by a lot of people. And he was definitely very political, the union, 100 (Blacks) in Law Enforcement that he eventually became the head of. But everything had a racial component to it. So he could have a normal conversation, especially if you’re a street guy like me. But he always had an agenda. And I think he believed that he was the smartest person in the room, and that his complexion was his protection. Because he was an African American guy, especially white people would not want to go after him and be called racist. Yeah, he called everybody racist. Yeah, he called (New York City Police Department Commissioner Ray) Kelly racist. Everybody was a racist. And he knew that would insulate him. But he also knew somebody like me would say, “Yeah, go ahead.” Now, what’s your best shot after that? So if you’re a street guy, he knew that those boundaries didn’t exist. But the people from the suites, he knew he could intimidate them.
Do you see you and Adams as having parallel lives? Coming up in Brooklyn, wearing a uniform, getting in the tabloids, running for mayor …
I would say the thing we had in common – and he couldn’t ignore it – was my knowledge of the streets. And how I could go into a place like Brownsville and be accepted, even though I’m white. Just like him. Obviously, it was natural for him, because that was his base. But I think he didn’t like the fact that I knew so much, and I would disparage him.
Have you ever sat down with the mayor since the ’21 campaign? Have you guys ever had a moment?
No. Just in the street, subway, early on. Not so much. The one thing I’ll never forget, in the Fifth Avenue Festival, they do the night stroll. So he’s meeting with (City Council Member) Justin Brannan there, the Democrats, and I’m walking up, you know, meeting and greeting people. He cuts in front of me, and I reach my hand out, and he walks right by, and he eye fornicates me and mad dogs me, because it’s already the campaign. And I say, “Oh, it’s going to be like that.” You know, to myself. All right.
Then there was one other occasion. It was a bodega where a worker got killed in a dispute in the morning. I was already there with the Guardian Angels because we patrol that area. And he shows up. Fine. He walks right past me. Doesn’t even acknowledge me. I say, “Oh, I’m a person of no consequence, right? I’ve known you for what, 40 years?” But he was into that, “I’m going to crush everybody in front of me, and you was standing in my way.”
What do you think Adams’ legacy is going to be? What will he be remembered for?
The most crooked mayor in the history of New York City. And that’s saying a lot. We’ve had a lot of crooked mayors. So we had obviously the one that most people know, the Irishman who had to get on an ocean liner (Jimmy Walker). (Franklin D.) Roosevelt said, “You got to go on an ocean liner because I’m running for president. It’s going to hang over my head.” Then you had (William) O’Dwyer. “Oh, you got to be the ambassador to Mexico. (Harry) Truman told me we need an ambassador.” They gave him from a ticker tape parade to Fifth Avenue. You’re not being mayor!
What do you think Eric should be doing in his semi-retirement? Should he go on the radio with you?
No, he can’t handle. He tried that. He can’t handle. It’s like Cuomo. He tried it. Didn’t work for him. I think he needs to rehabilitate himself. What he’s doing now is not rehabilitating himself. Because he could be a role model for younger African Americans who have had problems because they’re dyslexic, because he understands what it’s like behind bars in Rikers Island, and for other places like that. He could become a spokesperson. But he’s got to be clean. He’s got to disassociate from all of his contacts. And that’s going to be very difficult for him. Because he views them all as friends. I mean, look at them all. I mean, I don’t have enough fingers and toes for all of his cronies who should have been indicted, should have been in jail. I mean, (Manhattan District Attorney) Alvin Bragg can reindict him on the charges that Donald Trump saved him from.
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What did Adams do right? Where did he have a positive impact on the city?
Most important – and I brought it up in the debate, when they said, “What’s the most positive thing?” Even though he always made fun of me and the animals – “Oh, good what you and your wife Nancy do.” But I said, you know, he had a come to Jesus moment. He was leading a life in which he was eating all the wrong foods, was losing his eyesight, was all bloated up, was having difficulty getting out of bed. And then it hit him. “Man, I’ve got to change my lifestyle with the food I eat.” He started commenting on the lack of having fruits and vegetables in the stores, which Zohran (Mamdani) is following up now with the city-owned supermarkets, which I think is a good idea. Everybody goes – no, if you’ve been in these neighborhoods like Hunts Point, try to find any fruits or vegetables in those areas. They don’t have service.
You know that’s the other thing that you do for young people. He was trying to do it in Gracie Mansion. You know, like Chef (Gordon) Ramsay, Chef Adams would show like a $4 bag of beans. You can do this with vegetables. You don’t have to eat meat. You can have a healthy lifestyle, working out. Relating his personal experience from realizing he may have been at the point with his diabetes, at that point, maybe they’re hacking off a limb. He realized he was no longer able to function. And he did a complete turnaround and spoke about it, wrote the book.
Talking about dyslexia. Not having fathers, positive role models. And even though they made fun of him when he was the state senator, telling the parents, “You got to go into the kid’s room, man. You got to be like Sgt. Joe Friday because the kid is going to get over on you.” But he was right. He was right.
So, food, mentoring, the dyslexia – extraordinarily important. Because, you know, I’ve been locked up. So I know guys can’t read, they can’t write, they can’t even speak. So he brought that to the forefront, and that’s why I said he can do those things now. He has the credibility in those areas. He’s tainted in all these other areas.
And what killed him? Right out of the box. When he said, “I got a lot of swagger. I’m the swagger man.” And then they did that bit on “Saturday Night Live.” The Black actor at that time. I’m the swagger man. And that’s when I coined it, the swagger man with no plan. He’ll be out to the break of dawn at every club. So first it was Zero Bond, very exclusive. Then downtown with (Frank) Carone at Cipriani’s.
We’re calling Adams one of the 20 most influential politicians of the past 20 years. Do you agree?
Yeah, absolutely. Without a doubt. Yeah. Against all odds, he rose through the ranks. He had a lot of setbacks along the way, and any moment could have been indicted. Still trying to figure that out.
When he went over to (former state Sen.) Shirley (Huntley)’s house, and she had her lantern wired up like a Christmas tree, and she was asking the questions of all of them who came over. And he escaped that. He escaped that nonprofit he set up as Brooklyn borough president, the gambling scam, you know, where (Andrew) Cuomo had to come to the rescue and bring the Malaysians in for the racino, and he came real close. But I think every time he escaped, it emboldened him more. And this time, didn’t he understand? When you’re mayor, you’re under the electron microscope. But I think he thought he was bulletproof. Let’s face it, he was on the precipice.
And then look, he had (former state Sen.) Malcolm Smith riding in his SUV. Convicted felon! He gets a second opportunity to run for mayor when Cuomo just fails in the primary. That arrogant SOB thought he was going to have a coronation, and the Zohranistas kicked his ass.
You’re not making the case he’s influential, though. This sounds like Eric Adams is a schmuck.
Well what did he do? He had the press conference on City Hall, the comeback. Who did he have there? Brianna (Suggs), the bookkeeper who had her house raided in Crown Heights. Winnie Greco! Ingrid Lewis-Martin! But he thought he was impervious, that he was bulletproof. I mean, the brazenness. Come on, man, you were given a second opportunity and you blew it.
You said Adams was “godly” in Brownsville, when you campaigned here.
Eric worked it hard. So when I was campaigning here in 2021, “Yo, we respect you, Curtis, but you know, Eric’s one of ours.” Eric was always here.
I worked this area hard in 2021. Got a lot of respect, a lot of props. Probably the only white guy that ever happened for. But I couldn’t put a chink in his political armor here. Couldn’t put a chink. And he had some other pockets like that, which is what he always relied on. I mean, I’m from Canarsie. He killed me in Canarsie. Everybody knows me in Canarsie.
Well that’s because you’re a registered Republican!
That hurt. But also, he had developed the contacts. Remember, state senator, borough president. So he was there. He was in the streets. He’d go to the restaurants. He’d go to the clubs. He was well known. Like right now, if I was to ask a person here, who’s the Brooklyn borough president? Back then, who’s your Brooklyn borough president? “Oh, Eric Adams. Eric Adams, oh man, he was here on Pitkin Avenue. He was here on Belmont (Avenue).” You know, he would show up at these events because, let’s face it, as borough president, all you do is cut ribbons. But that was the best job for him. If he could have stayed Brooklyn borough president for life, you know, giving certificates out, commendations, cutting ribbons. Probably the worst thing he ever did is when he came up with his solution for rats, invited all of you guys to Brooklyn Borough Hall and drowned them, and then ladled them out.
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