Eric Adams and Curtis Sliwa Debate their Trustworthiness, as Early Voting Starts in Two Days

By Yehudit Garmaise

     Democratic Mayoral Nominee Eric Adams, who is Brooklyn’s borough president and Republican Nominee Curtis Sliwa, who is the founder and CEO of the city’s Guardian Angel took to the debate stage tonight to face off in the first of two mayoral debates before the city’s election on Nov. 2. 

     What stuck out the most was an underlying issue of trust. While Adams came from a disadvantaged childhood, from which he was often on the verge on homelessness and as a teen suffered from police brutality, only to work harder, to go to college and become a police officer and later a state senator and borough president, Curtis Sliwa was continually reminded throughout the debate about lies he told when he claimed he was kidnapped when he was 25 years old.

     “Why should voters trust you, more than your opponent, who is a former police captain, to lead the Police Department?” Sliwa was asked, before promptly dodging the question.

     “After President Joe Biden offered Eric Adams money to hire more police officers, he said, “No,” responded Sliwa, referring to the White House meeting in July when Adams was invited to discuss the soaring crime rates in both New York City and across the country. “We should have taken the money from the federal government.”

      Sliwa never addressed the question of why New Yorkers should trust him, but he did repeatedly try to merge Adam’s candidacy with the administration of Mayor Bill de Blasio, who Sliwa called Adams’ “teammate.”

      Sliwa then said that he would raise money through additional property taxes “to hire 3,000 cops that we desperately need.”

     In the past, however, Adams has told BoroPark24 that the NYPD does not need more money or more police officers, but just better management, such as by better using the officers and the resources they have.

     Tonight, Adams also pointed to the need for better NYPD leadership, such as his proposal to turn what used to be called the anti-crime unit into an anti-gun unit that is focused on “zeroing on gangs and guns.”

    Sliwa, however, said that will would institute “a property tax against Madison Square Garden, against Columbia, against NYU: an idea first offered by Andrew Yang.”

     Sliwa then said that it was only when David Dinkins and Peter Valone, a former City Council majority leader, added police officers through Safe Cities, Safe Streets, were “we able to get law and order and public safety into the streets of New York City in the 1990s.” 

     When Adams was able to speak, said, “Let’s be clear, New Yorkers are going to make a determination between a person who wore a bullet-proof vest to protect the children and the families of this city, and fought crime against a person [Sliwa] who made up crimes so that he could be popular.

     “Making up crimes is in itself a crime."

     The two men also debated the issue of whether political leaders should carry guns, as Adams has often been quoted as saying that he carries a gun to church and that he would continue to do so as mayor.

     “I am in the inner city all the time,” said Sliwa, perhaps betraying his ‘white, male privilege.’ “I don’t wear a bullet-proof vest. I don’t carry a gun. I never have, and I’ll tell you, if you are going to reach young men, who are using guns in violent acts, you cannot say: ‘Do as I say, but not as I do.’

     “Why would you need a gun? I have never needed a gun, and I have been shot five times. Please be a role model."

     In Adams’ response, the issue once again came back to trust.

     “It is clear that he makes up things, like he made up his crime, so we understand that,” Adams said, who addressed the issue of him being a role model. “I did not say ‘Woe is me.’ I said, ‘Why not me?’

     “Young men stop me all the time and tell me that they never thought they would go into law enforcement, but because of my advocacy, they decided to do so. I have passed unbelievable legislation to ensure that we passed strict gun laws in this state. My record is clear.

     “I will continue to serve this city to protect New Yorkers.”