Andrew Cuomo says his management experience sets him apart in race for New York City mayor
NEW YORK (WABC) -- Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo is touting his record as he turns his sights to City Hall.
It's a campaign built on union rallies and an appeal to working-class voters and Cuomo believes they want change, insisting that New York is "a city in crisis."
"New Yorkers feel unsettled, they feel unsafe when they walk into a subway, they're nervous when they see a homeless person on the street who may be mentally ill, they're nervous," Cuomo said.
Cuomo says Mayor Eric Adams has been ineffective in tone and in substance.
"We have to make progress faster, you know? The little things: Regulate the e-bikes so people can figure out how to cross the street, building affordable housing is not difficult," Cuomo said. "The art of government is getting things done."
Cuomo said he doesn't think Adams has made enough progress in the city.
Critics, including Mayor Adams, blame Cuomo for signing bail reform laws that led to rising crime, but the former governor dismissed that.
"I would have made changes to the bail reform law, but there is no doubt that bail reform is not the issue today," Cuomo said.
And while many credit Adams for appointing Jessica Tisch to run the NYPD, Cuomo is less generous.
"Finally, after how many police commissioners? I agree, Jessica Tisch is a good police commissioner," Cuomo said. "I think she's very good and I would love to have her as a commissioner."
Cuomo served nearly 11 years as governor and was widely praised for his leadership during the pandemic. He continues to defend his controversial directive-ordering nursing homes to readmit recovering COVID patients.
"Federal officials were doing the best they could with the information they had at the time, and we followed that guidance," Cuomo said. "Only 12 states had a lower rate of death than we did, even though we had it first and we had it worst. So there is no finger to point to New York and say, oh, more people died in nursing homes in New York-because they didn't."
Cuomo says his management experience sets him apart from his opponents. Among his supporters is former Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
"He understands that a mayor has to be able to manage. A mayor needs experience," Cuomo said. "And that's who's running for mayor now-people who have no experience."
He insists that New Yorkers want their mayor to stand up to President Donald Trump, and that he is best able to do that.
"What Trump did in L.A. is what he's going to do here," Cuomo said. "There'll be protests. And then Trump will say, 'well, now I have to send in the federal troops,' I think Adams will be complicit with that."
Cuomo says Mayor Adams is beholden to the president, against the best interests of New York.
"Well, he made a deal with the president, he sold out the people of New York to make that deal, and he has been complicit and cooperative with ICE when he should be standing up to ICE," Cuomo said.
ALSO READ | Up Close Election Special: Closer look at the candidates for New York City mayor
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