Mayor-elect Eric Adams, who is traveling to Ghana this week, said Monday that he has a shortlist for both the New York City Police Commissioner and the Schools chancellor position.
“The [transition] team handed over three [names] of each group and that is what I’m looking at. As soon as I return you’re going to see back to back to back to back announcements,” Adams said following a press conference at the Brooklyn Public Library. “I’m going to spend these next few days looking over all of them again and do a deep dive and do some zooms with a few of them while I’m away, but we are right on target with our schedule. This was planned to move exactly the way it’s moving.”
Adams, who will be the City’s second Black mayor, said his trip to Africa was long-planned, and like former President Barack Obama’s trip back to the land of his ancestors, he sees it as a spiritual journey.
“I made a promise to myself that I would visit Ghana following the 400-year anniversary of slavery in America and the election, to show how far we have come and remember how far we still must go,” said Adams.
Meanwhile, Adams spoke about Monday’s news that Queens/Long island Congressman Tom Suozzi, who declined a spot as deputy mayor in his administration, would be entering the gubernatorial race.
Adams said that Suozzi did not reach out to him for an endorsement and he is for now reserving judgement on endorsing anybody.
“He [Suozzi] has not reached out to me and asked for an endorsement. This is going to be an exciting gubernatorial experience. I need to swear on Jan. 1, and then I will sit down with all of those who are running and make a determination,” said Adams.
“Right now Kathy Hochul is the governor and I need to figure out the budget. We need to figure out COVID. We need to deal with two real issues that are impacting our cities and I’m thinking about that,” said Adams.
Suozzi joins other announced candidates including Governor Kathy Hochul, State Attorney General Letitia James and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams.
